The Evolution of the Theatre

Tableaux and the Lives of the Saints—taught the illiterate masses the Bible stories.

Mystery plays were about the mysteries found in Church’s teachings.

SHAKESPEARE’S THEATER: THE GLOBE THEATRE

Outside of London’s city limits, in Southwark, all sorts of illegal entertainment could be found.

Other theatres at the time were named The Theatre, The Rose, and The Swan.No pictures of The Globe’s interior survive; but it probably resembled The Rose’s interior closely.

Two views of the Globe

THE GLOBE THEATRE: A SNIPPET OF HISTORY

DESIGNED IN 1599 AS AN OPEN-AIR THEATRE SPACE FOR WHICH SHAKESPEARE WORKED, AND WROTE PLAYS FOR

WAS LOCATED IN THE SOUTHWARK DISTRICT, SOUTH OF RIVER THAMES, AKA THE “SPORTING” OR “RED LIGHT” DISTRICT. CONDEMNED LONDON AUTHORITIES, THE SOUTHWARK DISTRICT OPERATED OUTSIDE THE LEGAL REACH OF CITY OFFICIALS

WHILE ELIZABETHAN THEATRE ATTRACTED THE POLERIAT, IT ALSO CARTERED TO A HIGH CLASS AUDIENCE

THE GLOBE THEATRE CONSTITUTED A “SMALL WORLD” , HAD A LOGO OF HERCULES HOLDING UP THE EARTH

THE ORIGINAL GLOBE WAS BURNED DOWN IN 1613 WHEN A CANON SHOT IN THE PERFORMANCE OF HENRY VIII IGNITED THE THATCHED ROOF OF THE GALLERY; WAS REBUILT IN 1614

WAS CLOSED DOWN BY THE PURITANS IN 1642 ALONG WITH OTHER THEATRES IN LONDON

LATIN MOTTO: Totus mundus agit histrionem (TRANS. ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE OR ALL THE WORLD PLAYS THE ACTOR)

THE BIG PICTURE: THE LIFE OF AN ACTOR

ACTORS WERE REGARDED AS ROGUES, AND WERE NOT TO BE TRUSTED. AT THE INTRODUCTION OF THE GLOBE THEATRE, ACTORS ROSE TO A SUPERSTAR STATUS, AND USUALLY ACCUMUATED WEALTH

ACTORS DID THEIR OWN STUNTS; HAD TO CONVINCINGLY COMMENCE BATTLE AND SPEAK “OVER-ACTING” EXTRAVAGANT GESTURES;

“CUE ACTING / CUT SCRIPTING” A PERSON BACKSTAGE WHISPERED LINES TO THE ACTOR BECAUSE OF LIMITED REHEARSAL TIME

MEN PLAYED FEMALE ROLES, BOY PLAYERS WHO PORTRAYED WOMEN RECEIVED THE LOWEST SALARY

BOY PLAYERS WERE APPRENTICED TO OLDER AND MORE EXPERIENCED ACTORS

This was because no nice lady or woman would be so vulgar as to parade herself in public.

Not really cross-dressing or gender-bending, although it did add extra humor.

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP

MAKE-UP• THE WHITE MAKE UP USED BY ACTORS WAS LEAD-BASED AND THERE- FORE HEAVILY TOXIC• YOUNG BOY ACTORS WERE USUALLY IN BAD HEALTH, AND DEATH AND FACIAL DISEASES WERE COMMON

COSTUMES• MEANING OF COLORS (EX. PURPLE SIGNIFIED ROYALTY), • THE AUDIENCE WOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD THIS• CLOTHES WERE MADE OUT OF LUXURIOUS MATERIALS: FUR, VELVET, SILK, LACE, COTTONS, ETC. • ACTORS WORE THE LATEST STYLES (SOMEWHAT OF A RARITY BECAUSE OF THE STATUTES OF APPAREL)

THE GLOBE THEATRE: THENSPECIAL EFFECTS

• TRAPDOORS WERE BUILT INTO THE FLOOR OF THE STAGE, CALLED “HELL” AND IN STAGE CEILING, IN WHICH CASE THEY WERE CALLED THE “THE HEAVENS”. ACTORS AND PROPS COULD ENTER OR EXIT VIA TRAP DOORS. THROUGH THE HEAVENS, ACTORS COULD MAKE FLYING ENTRANCES WEARING HARNESSES

• USE OF A CANON/FIREWORKS ON STAGE TO PRODUCE SOUNDS OF A BATTLEFIELD, OR MARK AN ENTRANCE

• ANIMAL INTENSINES AND BLADDERS WITH BLOOD WERE HIDDEN IN THE ACTOR’S CLOTHING, AND WHEN PIERCED BY THE POINTS OF A DAGGER OR SWORD, THE BLOOD WOULD OVERFLOW. THIS WAS THE EFFECT FOR MIMICKING A WOUND ON STAGE

• POSSIBILITY OF THE USE OF REAL ANIMALS • COMISSIONED MUSICIANS TO WRITE MUSIC

THE GLOBE THEATRE: THEN, IN TERMS OF THE AUDIENCE

• CAPACITY: 1500 PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE, AROUND 3000 PEOPLE COULD BE CROWDED OUTSIDE THE THEATER. QUEEN ELIZABETH I WOULD HAVE NOT SEEN PLAYS AT THE GLOBE, EXCEPT FOR THE OPENING OF HENRY V

• PLAYS OCCURRED IN THE AFTERNOON DUE TO NATURAL LIGHTING PURPOSES• WOMEN AND MEN ATTENDED PLAYS, BUT ACRISTOCRAT WOMEN USUALLY

COVERED THEIR FACES WITH MASKS• THE AUDIENCE ATE, TALKED AND DRANK THROUGHOUT THE PERFORMANCE

• Prices:– NOBILITY PAID FOR BETTER SEATS IN THE

LORD’S ROOMS – THE COMMONERS WOULD HAVE STOOD IN

THE THEATRE PIT AND PAID AN ENTRANCE FEE, PUTTING A PENNY IN

A BOX, HENCE THE TERM, “THE BOX OFFICE”

– CUSHIONS COULD BE PURCHASED FOR AN ADDITIONAL $$

THE GLOBE THEATRE: NOW

• INTEREST TO REBUILD WAS SPARKED IN THE 1970’S BY SAM WANAMAKER AND THE SHAKESPEARE GLOBE PLAYHOUSE TRUST

• CALLED SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE • CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN 1989; WHILE DIGGING, WORKERS DISCOVERED

FOUNDATIONS OF THE ORIGINAL GLOBE. THE NEW THEATRE WAS LOCATED AROUND 100 YARDS FROM THE PRESUMED SITE OF THE OLD GLOBE

• 1997, THE GLOBE REOPENED WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF HENRY V

THE PRESENT: SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBEORIGINAL DESCRIPTION: THREE STORY AMPHITHEATER, 100 FEET IN DIAMETER OR COULD

HAVE BEEN A POLYGON

1603

Some fast facts about ShakespeareBorn: Stratford-upon-Avon, 23 April 1564 (or thereabouts).Died: Stratford-upon-Avon, 23 April 1616, at the age of 52 buried in Holy Trinity ChurchParents: John and Mary (Arden)Shakespeare, a tanner of hidesBrothers and sisters: He was the oldest son, with 3 brothers and 3 sistersSchooling: William would have gone to the parish school and probably studied Plutarch’s Lives, the Bible, and mythologyMarried: Anne Hathaway (26) when he was 18, in 1582.Children: Susannah, born in 1583; Hamnet and Judith (twins), born in 1585.Hamnet died in 1596.The Mystery Years: 7 years without any Mention of him, although he was probablyin London. Lord Chamberlain’s Men: from early 1590sKing’s Men: from 1603Shareholder in The GlobeFirst mention as playwright:  in 1592.Retired from The Globe: 1611.The Globe burns down in 1613.Total number of plays: 37+Poems: 154 Sonnets and narrative poems.

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