English Audio Request

The Globe Theatre was built in the reign of Elizabeth I in 1599 on the south bank of the River Thames. Shakespeare (1564-1616) was one of the owners of the theatre. He was a playwright and he was also an actor! Shakespeare described the Globe Theatre as the "Wooden O" because of its shape. The Globe could hold 3,000 spectators. It was therefore necessary to vary the plays in order to attract new audiences. A new play was performed nearly every day. The actors rehearsed in the morning and performed in the afternoon. A flag at the top was used to advertise plays, a black flag meant a tragedy, white a comedy and red a history play. Plays were performed in the open air in daylight. On rainy days, it rained on the audience!
The globe was built around a yard. Here stood the "groundlings", the poor spectators. They only paid one penny that they put in a box at the entrance. That is why nowadays a ticket office is called a "box office". There were three levels of galleries around the yard. Gallery seats were expensive but the spectators were protected from the rain. Spectators often booed when the bad guys, the villains stepped on stage. They clapped and they and cheered when the good guys were there. If actors kissed, they went "woo". Eating, drinking and shouting were permitted.
The stage was a large and empty platform. There was no scenery. The actors entered through two stage doors at the back. One actor could play two or three roles in a play. A role is also called a part. In that time there were no actresses. The profession was considered immoral so women never acted! All the parts were played by men. The female parts were played by young men wearing dresses! The actors wore rich and luxurious costumes.
Two wooden pillars supported the thatched roof over the stage and the beautifully painted ceiling was called the Heavens. Above the stage was a balcony which was mostly used by musicians. The stage had a trap door, through which actors could appear or disappear, the only special effect in Shakespeare's time. The cellarage underneath was called "Hell".
The Globe Theatre was made of wood and straw. It was destroyed in 1613 by a fire. It was rebuilt a year later and then demolished in 1645. A new theatre was reconstructed to the original plans in 1996. It is now called Shakespeare's Globe.