Strolling Through the (Theme) Park One Day: Shakespeare’s Globe!

Another threat of the coronavirus pandemic is the possible closure of Shakespeare’s Globe theater.  It is a theater that sustains itself through productions and its closure on March 18th has cut that funding.  The UK government through the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is working to keep the theater going and through public donations, but still faces possible closure.  Please visit https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/, there is a donation button at the top of the page, donate if you can.  The Globe Theatre, on the banks of the Thames river in London, was built in 1599.  It was burned down by fire in 1613.  A second theater was built and closed in 1642.  Now, the modern theater, Shakespeare’s Globe, opened in 1997.  It is of course an icon of acting, theater, and London.  I had the chance to visit Shakespeare’s Globe during a bus trip to the UK.  

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, 2009, photo by the author.

There was an opportunity to check out London for one day and of course Shakespeare’s Globe was the chance of a lifetime.  This is from an English major and I performed scenes from Much Ado About Nothing in a Shakespeare class.  I have had the opportunity to see performances at the Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire, https://renfair.com/socal/, and the Globe Theatre in Los Angeles, https://www.globetheatre-la.com/, check them out and go to a performance for any local production.  This is the thing to keep in mind watching Shakespeare, it is not meant to be read, you don’t have to understand every word, you have to understand basically what is happening and what the character is feeling.  So this brings us to London, I read the map and plotting out my course, I took the Tube and emerged and was totally lost!  This was of course before Google Maps so I thought it was an easy stroll to the Thames, but actually the street wound through some stores.  This was after over an hour!  I ended up on a bridge across from the theater and finally seeing it. 

The stage of Shakespeare's Globe, 2009, photo by the author.

So I finally reached Shakespeare’s Globe, it looks like something out of that time with a thatched roof which is real.  There is sprinkler systems in case of fire.  I entered the theater and was readying for a tour.  There is an impressive suit of armor set near the window.  It was darkly lit with several rooms showing costumes and props.  There as a plaque that looks like it came from the 1613 Globe.  I saw a model of the classic Globe theatre.  Shakespeare’s Will had a display with some documentation.  Another display had some animal skulls and items like jars recovered from the banks of the Thames.  I wanted to take it all in, but started on the tour.  It eventually leads to the seats on the upper floors.  We were told about the productions including a modern one that was currently being staged.  It was great to see the perspective from the seats.  See the columns and elaborate mosaic of the stage roof.  I asked about school tours of the Globe.  The guide said that the students were more interested that an episode of Doctor Who, “The Shakespeare Code” (2007) was filmed there.  A very good episode, but I hope everyone has a chance to walk through or attend a production at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre when things are open!  

#ShakespearesGlobe, #London, #Thames, #DoctorWho