1. The Evolution of the Theatre

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

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

18. SHAKESPEARE’S THEATER: THE GLOBE
THEATRE

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

23. 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.


27. Two views of the Globe

46. 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)

47. 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

48. Not really
cross-dressing
or gender-bending, a
it did add
extra humor.
This was because no nice lady or
woman would be so vulgar as to
parade herself in public.

49. COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
MAKE-UP
•
•
THE WHITE MAKE UP USED BY ACTORS WAS LEAD-BASED AND THEREFORE 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)

53. THE GLOBE THEATRE: THEN
SPECIAL 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

54. 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 $$

56. 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

57. THE PRESENT: SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE
ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION: THREE STORY AMPHITHEATER, 100 FEET IN DIAMETER OR COULD
HAVE BEEN A POLYGON

60. 1603

62. Some fast facts about Shakespeare
Born: Stratford-upon-Avon, 23 April 1564 (or thereabouts).
Died: Stratford-upon-Avon, 23 April 1616, at the age of 52 buried in
Holy Trinity Church
Parents: John and Mary (Arden)Shakespeare, a tanner of hides
Brothers and sisters: He was the oldest son, with 3 brothers
and 3 sisters
Schooling: William would have gone to the parish school and probably
studied Plutarch’s Lives, the Bible, and mythology
Married: 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 probably
in London.
Lord Chamberlain’s Men: from early 1590s
King’s Men: from 1603
Shareholder in The Globe
First 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.

63. New Place