Globe Theatre: Performance during Shakespeare's time

Summary

Stephen Greenblatt offers an insightful exploration of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, a reconstructed version of the 1599 original. He describes the open-air design, the tiered audience seating, and the unique ticketing system that ranged from a penny entry to more expensive seating. Greenblatt emphasizes the absence of modern theatrical amenities like artificial lighting and elaborate sets, highlighting the剧院's reliance on costumes and the actors' performances to convey the plays' narratives. He also discusses the innovative use of space, including the trestle stage, discovery space, and the symbolic canopy, which, along with the actors' powerful voices and memories, made the plays engaging for large audiences.

Takeaways

• 🏟️ The modern reconstruction of Shakespeare's Globe Theater provides insight into Elizabethan theatrical practices.
• 🌞 The Globe was an open-air theater designed to accommodate around 3,000 spectators, most of whom stood.
• 🎟️ Admission to the theater cost a penny, and the term 'box office' originated from the box where money was collected.
• 💺 There was a tiered seating system with different prices for standing, gallery seating, cushioned chairs, and seats behind or on the stage.
• 🌈 The theater lacked artificial lighting and complex sets, relying on basic props like chairs and beds for scene setting.
• 📣 Actors had to have powerful voices and memories to perform without a curtain or illusion, projecting to a large audience.
• 👗 Costumes were of great symbolic importance and were more valuable than plays, often indicating a character's status or role.
• 🤵‍♂️ All female roles were played by boys, who were adept at portraying women through costume and mannerisms.
• 🌟 The theater featured a canopy over the stage, symbolizing the heavens and protecting costumes and actors from the elements.
• 🔮 The stage included a 'hell' space under the trestle, accessed by a trap door, used for special effects like ghostly appearances.
• 🎭 The 'discovery space' behind the stage and the tiring house, where costumes were kept, allowed for quick scene and costume changes.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the modern reconstruction of Shakespeare's Globe Theater?

The purpose of the modern reconstruction is to provide a sense of what Shakespeare's actual theatrical practice would have been like during his time.

How many spectators could the original Globe Theater accommodate?

The original Globe Theater could accommodate up to about 3,000 spectators.

What was the stage design of the Globe Theater like?

The stage was a trestle stage that thrust out into the crowd, surrounded by spectators and galleries, and it was open-air with no artificial lighting or sets.

What did the term 'box office' originally refer to?

The term 'box office' originally referred to the box where the money was put to get into the theater.

How much did it cost to enter the Globe Theater and what did additional pennies get you?

It cost a penny to enter the theater. An additional penny could get you a place in the galleries with a roof, and another penny could get you a chair with a cushion.

Why were costumes so important in Shakespeare's theater?

Costumes were important because they carried huge symbolic meaning in a stage without sets, and they were also valuable in themselves and symbolically.

Who played the female roles in Shakespeare's time?

All female roles, such as Desdemona, Ophelia, and Cleopatra, were played by talented boy actors, usually between the ages of 12 and 20.

What was the function of the canopy over the playing space?

The canopy served a practical purpose by protecting the costumes and actors from rain, and it had a symbolic association with the heavens above the actors.

How was the 'hell' below the stage used in performances?

The 'hell' below the stage was accessed through a trap door and was used for scenes that required characters to appear to come from below, such as the ghost in Hamlet.

What was the 'discovery space' and how was it used?

The 'discovery space' was a curtained area behind the columns where things could be revealed or characters could emerge to create powerful effects.

How did the Globe Theater encourage the audience to use their imagination?

The theater relied on the audience's imagination to conjure up worlds that were not physically present, as suggested by Shakespeare in the beginning of Henry V.