March 20, 2008

• The Globe
  
  Nope. It’s not a geography lesson today. It’s a visit to Shakespeare’s Globe Theater! This theater was dreamed up by an American actor, Sam Wannamaker (who claimed his fame through this project and not by his stage presence, apparently). He came to London in 1949 to look for some of Shakespeare. He was sorely disappointed to discover that the only memorial to the once-great Globe Theater was a bronze plaque. 
  
  Unlike most of the rest of us, Sam decided to do something about this grave literary injustice and founded The Shakespeare Globe Trust in 1970. They tried to get the actual land where The Globe was, but it didn’t work out. So they got land fairly close to the original site and began construction in 1987 using all the same techniques they would have used in the 1600s.  (Well, except for the heavy equipment and bulldozers.)
  
  The Globe has been performing plays since 1997 and attracts 750,000 people a year. Sadly, Sam never saw a play performed here as he died in 1993.  My kids didn’t either as they only do performances in warm weather.
  
  One way to get to the theater is to take the Underground to St. Paul’s and walk across the Millennium Bridge. That is what we did. (Remember the Day of Stupid Questions? That was the day we went to The Globe. Yup, there is Gockle, thinking about jumping off the bridge while I am not looking…through the camera lens.)
  
  

  
  

  
  

  If you turn your back to The Globe and look across The Thames, this is what you will see. (Well, my kids aren’t still there, but St. Paul’s is.)
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  And, here is the Globe
  

   
  

  
  For the price of admission, you get a free tour and the chance to wander around. Our tour guide was pretty lame. We looked enviously at the other groups whose guides were telling them history and stories and ours said, “This is the stage of the theater. Any questions?”  (We were going to go again on another tour, but we decided that we had other things to check off our list that day, so we didn’t.)
  
  The girls and I are standing where the cheap ticket holders would stand. I they said they could fit 500 people there? Wild!
  
  

  
  

  
  

  The stage from the third tier of seats.
  

  
  

  
  

  
  Yes, you wise and perceptive people. The theater is round, and it has no roof. The seats and stage are covered, but if you are in the cheap seats, wear a raincoat. In Shakespeare’s day, this open roof was to let in light. Today it is to show that in Shakespeare’s day, they let in light. (And, yes. That is a thatched roof, too, you eagle eye!)
  
  

  
  

  
  In the non-stage area, they had a number of displays of this and that.  Most notably in the large entrance room was a fake tree. It proved convenient for the workers as in, “When you hear the bell ring, go to the tree for your tour.”  And, yes, I was asked by someone if s/he could climb it.
  
  

  

  One of the displays featured costumes from different plays and a general history of costumes. One costume historian on a video loop told about one actor in Shakespeare’s day who bought and embroidered cloak which cost 20 pound (or so). She explained that this amount of money was enough to buy a house in the country and a few chickens!
  

  
  Here’s a costume for Bethany–the nurse from Romeo and Juliet
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  This is a close-up of a costume for Queen Elizabeth.
  

  
  

  
  

  
  One of the other displays explained the techniques used to make the theater using wooden pegs and not nails. Aw, don’t the kiddos look all friendly and glad to be touring?
  
  

  
  

  
  And, no tour is complete without a visit to the loo.  This one had a couch and a floor-to-ceiling mirror.  We  had fun taking pictures of ourselves in the mirror. (See the camera camouflaged by my black jacket? Sneaky, huh?)
  
  

         
  
  And now, a fun game. You are NOT allowed to use Google or any other internet search to answer.  Can you name the play from which each of these quotes originated?
  
  

  1. Brevity is the soul of wit.
  
  2. Cry “Havoc,” and let slip the dogs of war.
  
  3. Fair is foul, and foul is fair.
  
  4. O! she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
  
  5. A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!
  
  6. I like this place and willingly could waste my time
  in it. (tough one!)
  
  7. I am a man more sinned against than sinning.
  
  8. We are such stuff as dreams are made on, rounded with
  a little sleep.
  
  9. The course of true love never did run smooth.
  
  10. Doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a
  liar, but never doubt I love.

  • 6:58 am
  • 17 Comments