What is the pit in Shakespeare's Globe Theater?
The Pit, or yard, was the area located around the stage. There was no seating - the cheapest part of the Globe Theater and the audience had to stand. The stage structure projected halfway into the ' yard ' where the commoners (groundlings) paid 1 penny to stand to watch the play.
What is a pit in theatre?
At the base of the stage, there was an area called the pit, (or, harking back to the old inn-yards, yard) where, for a penny, people (the "groundlings") would stand on the rush -strewn earthen floor to watch the performance.
What is inside the Globe Theater called?
Inside the Globe theater, the pit ("Elizabethan theatre and," ) The original Globe theater was built in 1599. The Globe is an outdoor theater it has an octagonal design with an open thatched roof.
What happened to the original Globe Theatre?
The theater was rebuilt and remained open until the Puritans shut it and all theaters down in 1642. The Globe was then torn down in 1644 by the Puritans. ("Elizabethan theatre and," ) Sam Wanamaker, actor and director, dreamed about rebuilding the Globe. Wanamaker founded the Globe Trust and International Shakespeare Globe Centre.
Where is the Globe Theatre?
When was the Globe Theatre built?
Why is the Globe called the Globe?
How deep is the stage in the apron?
How big was the Globe?
Where was the theatre dismantled?
When was Shakespeare's Globe built?
See more
About this website
Who sat in the pit at the Globe Theatre?
groundlingsElizabethan general public or people who were not nobility were referred to as groundlings. They would pay one penny to stand in the Pit of the Globe Theater (Howard 75). The upper class spectators would pay to sit in the galleries often using cushions for comfort.
What are the parts of the Globe Theatre?
The original Globe Theatre Stage had two main parts - the outer stage and the inner stage: The outer stage projected from the back stage wall called the ' Frons Scenae ' into the the central yard or pit. There were no side or front curtains - from this are of the stage everything was visible.
Why is there a hole in the roof of the Globe Theatre?
The first theatre was burned down when a special effects cannon was fired. It was meant to go up in the sky through the hole in the roof like a firework but instead it caught on edge of the theatre and burned it completely. It isn't a hole in the roof it doesn't actually have a roof!
Where did the poor sit in the Globe Theatre?
The Seating at The Globe Theatre The Globe theatre had a central area where there was no cover. This is where the poor people used to watch the plays. They were called the groundlings. They would stand in this area with no protection so when it rained and snowed they got very cold and wet.
What were the audience members who stood in the pit called?
Standing in the pit was uncomfortable, and people were usually packed in tightly. The groundlings were commoners who were also referred to as stinkards or penny-stinkers. The name 'groundlings' came about after Hamlet referenced them as such when the play was first performed around 1600.
What are the 12 parts of the Globe Theatre?
Globe Theatre InteriorThe Galleries.The Entrance.Stairs and Access.The Stage.The Pit, the Yard, the Galleries.The Heavens, the Frons Scenae, Lord's rooms, Gentlemen's rooms, Tiring House and the Hut.
How many times did the Globe Theater burn down?
Why Did The Globe Theatre Burn Down Twice? A freak accident during a stage show caused the Globe Theatre to go up in flames in 1613.In a performance of Henry VIII, a cannon set fire to the thatched roof, causing the fire to spread quickly. It burned for less than two hours, officials said.
What was the cellar underneath the stage referred to?
Underneath the floors of the outer and inner stages was a large cellar called "hell", allowing for the dramatic appearance of ghosts.
What was the name of the small room in the back of the main balcony?
What was the name of the small room in back of the main balcony? The name of the small room in back of the main balcony was the inner-above.
Where did the rich sit in the Globe Theatre?
The rich paid three pennies to sit in the higher galleries, which had a better view. The best seats were in the lords' rooms, private galleries closest to the stage.
What was the most expensive seat in the Globe Theatre?
Lord's RoomsThe most expensive seats would have been in the 'Lord's Rooms'. Admission to the indoor theatres started at 6 pence. One penny was only the price of a loaf of bread.
Who played female roles in the Globe Theatre?
Women were allowed to act in the theatre until 1660 as it was judged to be unseemly for a woman to undertake such a profession. Young boys were therefore hired to act in the female roles. The costumes used for the female characters were extremely elaborate, reflecting the clothes worn during the Elizabethan era.
What is the Globe Theatre?
The Globe Theatre in London is a theatre famous for its association with England’s best-known playwright, William Shakespeare. Built in 1599 by Shakespeare’s Elizabethan playing company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, The Globe was destroyed by a fire in 1613. The theatre’s remains were found in 1989, lying underneath a listed building on Anchor Terrace.
When was the Globe Theatre built?
The Globe Theatre was built in 1599 using timber from another theatre which had been built by actor Richard Burbage’s father in Shoreditch. This earlier theatre, called ‘The Theatre’, was claimed by the landowner when the Burbage lease ran out. However, Burbage had the materials taken to a new spot across the Thames reconstructing the theatre as ‘The Globe’.
Where is Shakespeare's Globe?
Located along the banks of London’s River Thames, you can easily find The Globe or Shakespeare’s Globe when walking through Southwark. Otherwise, Southwark Bridge Stop BC on bus line 344 is only 3 minutes walk to the theatre or the Thames ferries RB1, RB2 and RB6 all stop just outside at Bankside Pier.
What is the architectural style of the Globe Theatre?
The architectural style of The Globe was similar to the Colosseum in Rome, but on a smaller scale – other Elizabethan theatres also followed this style of architecture which were called amphitheaters.
When was the Globe Theatre built?
The Globe Theatre was built between 1597 and 1599 in Southwark on the south bank of London’s River Thames, funded by Richard Burbage and built by carpenter Peter Smith and his workers. Read more about building the old Globe Theatre.
How many people can the Globe Theatre hold?
Globe Theatre Fact 5. The Globe had three stories of seating and was able to hold up to 3,000 spectators in its’ 100-foot diameter.
Why did the Globe Theatre burn down?
The Globe Theatre burnt down in 1613 when a special effect on stage went wrong. A cannon used for a performance of Henry VIII set light to the thatched roof and the fire quickly spread, reportedly taking less than two hours to burn down completely.
How many sides does the Globe have?
The Globe was generally considered to be a circular building, however, when a small part of the theatre’s foundations were uncovered in the late 1980’s it seems that the building was actually a polygon of 20 sides.
Why are there red flags outside theatres?
Colour coded flags were used outside the theatre to advertise the type of play to be performed – a red flag for a history play, white for a comedy play and black for a tragedy play.
When did the Puritans end the Globe Theatre?
The Puritans brought an end to The Globe Theatre in 1642 with an order suppressing all stage plays. In 1644 The Globe Theatre was turned into tenement housing, ending 85 years of turbulent history.
When did the Globe Theatre open?
The Globe Theatre is a space where the audience has always been a vital component of the performance. The Globe Theatre officially opened in 1997, although workshops and performances had taken place on the stage since 1995. It also isn’t our only performance venue.
What is Shakespeare's Globe Theatre?
Shakespeare called his theatre a ‘wooden O’ and like his historic playhouse our Globe Theatre is a 360° auditorium. With no roof over the central yard, the theatre is open-air and audiences who attend performances and tours are told to dress for the weather! Events will go ahead in rain, shine and snow.
How many people can fit in a roofless theatre?
A ‘roofless’, open-air theatre (bring your coats!). Shape is an icosagon, a 20 sided polygon. Can hold 1,570 people, 700 standing and the rest seated. The twelve signs of the zodiac are painted on this roof over the stage (which we call ‘The Heavens’ ).
When did Sam set out to build the Shakespeare Globe?
In 1970 Sam set out to build a reconstruction of Shakespeare’s original Globe on Bankside. He founded the Shakespeare Globe Trust in 1971 with a mission to recreate the 1599 amphitheatre as accurately as he possibly could. Despite many obstacles, Sam persevered with his ambition for two decades.
When did the second Globe close?
The second Globe operated until it was closed down by parliamentary decree in 1642. In 1609 Shakespeare’s company started performing in the indoor Blackfriars playhouse as well as the Globe. It was here that Shakespeare conceived his final great plays, including The Tempest.
Who wrote for the Globe Theatre?
Other playwrights wrote for the Globe too, including Ben Jonson, Thomas Dekker and John Fletcher. The Globe Theatre you see today in London is the third Globe. The first opened in 1599 and was built by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, the company that William Shakespeare wrote for and part-owned.
Did Sam live to see the Globe Theatre?
Despite many obstacles, Sam persevered with his ambition for two decades. Sadly, he did not live to see the theatre’s completion. He died in 1993, and in 1997 the Globe Theatre was opened by Her Majesty the Queen. Find out more about the construction of the Globe Theatre.
Where is the Globe Theatre?
The Globe Theatre is shown at the bottom centre of this London street map. Site of the Globe Theatre, from Park Street; the dark line in the centre marks the foundation line. The white wall beyond is the rear of Anchor Terrace. The Globe was owned by actors who were also shareholders in the Lord Chamberlain's Men.
When was the Globe Theatre built?
1614. The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas Brend and grandson Sir Matthew Brend, and was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613.
Why is the Globe called the Globe?
The name of the Globe supposedly alludes to the Latin tag totus mundus agit histrionem, in turn derived from quod fere totus mundus exerceat histrionem —"because all the world is a playground"—from Petronius, which had wide circulation in England in the Burbages' time.
How deep is the stage in the apron?
The stage measured approximately 43 feet (13.1 m) in width, 27 feet (8.2 m) in depth and was raised about 5 feet (1.5 m) off the ground.
How big was the Globe?
The evidence suggests that it was a three-storey, open-air amphitheatre approximately 100 feet (30 m) in diameter that could house up to 3,000 spectators.
Where was the theatre dismantled?
On 28 December 1598, while Allen was celebrating Christmas at his country home, carpenter Peter Street, supported by the players and their friends, dismantled The Theatre beam by beam and transported it to Street's waterfront warehouse near Bridewell.
When was Shakespeare's Globe built?
Shakespeare's share diminished from 1/8 to 1/14, or roughly 7%, over the course of his career. The Globe was built in 1599 using timber from an earlier theatre, The Theatre, which had been built by Richard Burbage's father, James Burbage, in Shoreditch in 1576.
Overview
Layout
The Globe's actual dimensions are unknown, but its shape and size can be approximated from scholarly inquiry over the last two centuries. The evidence suggests that it was a three-storey, open-air amphitheatre approximately 100 feet (30 m) in diameter that could house up to 3,000 spectators. The Globe is shown as round on Wenceslas Hollar's sketch of the building, later incorporated into h…
Locations
Examination of old property records has identified the plot of land occupied by the Globe as extending from the west side of modern-day Southwark Bridge Road eastwards as far as Porter Street and from Park Street southwards as far as the back of Gatehouse Square. The precise location of the building remained unknown until a small part of the foundations, including one original pier base, was discovered in 1989 by the Department of Greater London Archaeology (n…
History
The Globe was owned by actors who were also shareholders in the Lord Chamberlain's Men. Two of the six Globe shareholders, Richard Burbage and his brother Cuthbert Burbage, owned double shares of the whole, or 25% each; the other four men, Shakespeare, John Heminges, Augustine Phillips, and Thomas Pope, owned a single share, or 12.5%. (Originally William Kempe was intended t…
Name
The name of the Globe supposedly alludes to the Latin tag totus mundus agit histrionem, in turn derived from quod fere totus mundus exerceat histrionem—"because all the world is a playground"—from Petronius, which had wide circulation in England in the Burbages' time. Totus mundus agit histrionem was, according to this explanation, therefore adopted as the theatre's motto. A…
See also
• Curtain Theatre
• The Rose
• Shakespeare's Globe
• The Theatre
External links
• Shakespearean Playhouses, by Joseph Quincy Adams, Jr. from Project Gutenberg
• Shakespeare's Globe The 1996 reconstruction
• A reconstruction of the second Globe The structure of the Globe by extrapolation from Hollar's sketch. University of Sydney.