Visite du Globe - Visit to the Globe

By Elise STERN 4e

Visiting the ‘Globe Theatre’ has been highly enjoyable. It has enabled the class to acquire knowledge on this famous building and on the works of the worldly appraised playwright and poet William Shakespeare.
The Theatre was built in Southwark in 1599 (in London city it was forbidden to build theatres at that time. It was financed by Cuthebert Burbage, a close associate of its founder William Shakespeare.

This renown playwright will therefore have most of its plays performed there and has mentioned the existence of the Theatre in some of its plays like ‘The Tempest’ or ‘Henry V’, which account for its popularity nowadays. Eerected during the reign of Elizabeth the First, it is an Elizabethan theatre, which explains its particular architecture.

• Its circular shape facilitated the hearing of the performance thanks to the echo.
• The open roof provided lighting without paying for candles.
• The ceiling above the stage was called the “heavens”, it was painted with sun, moon and stars.
• A flag with the symbol representing the play performed was flown during the performance.
• Very elaborate costumes and props contrasted with the poor scenery.
• In these days the theatre could host 3000 people, twice as many as today, due to current safety standards.

Unfortunately, in 1613, the spark of a cannon set the thatched roof on fire and then the entire theatre made of wood burnt down.
The theatre was rebuilt in 1614 with a tiled roof, but it stood only until the Puritans (anti-theatre regime) came to power and decided to tear it down in 1644.

In 1997, the theatre was rebuilt by Sam Wanamaker, very faithfully to its original version so today we can all benefit from this very important part of the cultural History of England.

                    $('#shuffle').cycle({
    fx:     'shuffle',
    easing: 'backout',
    delay:  -4000
});