6. Shakespeare’s Theatre

- In what sort of building were Shakespeare’s plays performed?

Before the construction of theatres, plays were performed in the private houses of aristocrats and noblemen and in the courthouses of inns. Balconies (for the audience of up to 500 people) surrounded the open space and platform in the centre of the courthouse where the acting took place. In 1574, the City of London started to restrict the activities in these inns. As a result, this prompted James Burbage to construct The Theatre in 1576 and this was the model for The Globe and many other theatres thereafter.

Shakespeare’s plays were performed in open-air theatres like the Globe Theatre. These theatres were mostly constructed with timber and were prone to burning down. They were three stories high, had a polygonal shape with an open space and platform in the centre for the actors, as well as inward-facing galleries on the different levels for the audience of up to 1500 people. There was also an upper level behind the stage which was used for different purposes.

From 1599 onwards, after the construction of the Blackfriars Theatre which was a smaller an indoor theatre, theatres were built based on that structure. The newly constructed Blackfriars Theatre incorporated the used of artificial lighting. The building could accommodate an audience of 700 people.

- How did the physical constraints of the theatre affect the language of Shakespeare’s plays?

The theatre was open air and there was no scenery. To make the play seem realistic, Shakespeare would have to describe the setting and time of each new scene to the audience through dialogue or action in the play.

- What sort of people acted in plays? What sort of people went to see them?

Men were only allowed to work in theatres as it was deemed to be an unsuitable place for women to work in. The female roles of plays were taken up by adolescent boys whose voice had not yet broke. It was only till the reign of Charles II when women were allowed to work in theatrical performances.

The royalty, nobility and commoner all went to see the plays performed in theatres. Elizabethan drama was a common recreation for many of the people during Elizabeth’s reign. Both men and women were allowed to watch plays.

- How was ‘the theatre’ viewed by society?

The City of London authorities disliked the public performances of plays. However, the Queen was a frequent patron of the plays and the theatre was supported by the Privy’s Council. The plays which the aristocrats watched were the same as those which the common peasant watched in the public theatres.

- Compare the modern day Globe Theatre in London with the theatres that Shakespeare worked in.

The globe theatre in the 16th century was a three storey octagonal-shaped open-air theatre and was made of timber. There was a central open area and a raised rectangular platform in the middle of the building for the actors to perform. A trap door was built under the platform. There was a pit in front of the platform where the commoners watched the play from. Directly opposite the pit were rows of seat on the three stories of the building for the nobility and royalty. There was a balcony where musicians were positioned. There were large columns at the sides of the stage supporting the roof above the stage. The roof was painted with clouds and the sky and was known as the “heavens”.

The modern day open-air Globe Theatre in London was built by Sam Wanamaker and opened in 1997. The modern theatre followed the physical structure of the old Globe Theatre and has a thrust stage with three stories of audiences’ seats, which are simple benches. Plays are performed in the afternoons as natural light is used to brighten the theatre. No spotlights are used, music is played there and then, and no amplification is used for the actors. The building was constructed with English Oak with no steel, similar to the old Globe Theatre. The Globe Theatre has the first and only thatched roof since the Great Fire of 1666 and is protected with water sprinklers and fire retardants to prevent the roof from catching on fire. The pit is made of concrete unlike the earthen ground in the 16th century theatre. The stage has extensive backstage support areas and is connected to a lobby, gift shop, restaurant and visitors’ centre. The seating capacity is 857 and 700 people can stand at the pit and watch. The theatre is used for educational purposes in winter and plays are performed in summer. Tours of the theatre are also conducted all year round.

Resources:
Alchin, L. Elizabethan Inn-Yards. http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-inn-yards.htm (26/6/2011)
Alchin, L. Shakespeare and the Blackfriars Theatre. http://www.william-shakespeare.org.uk/shakespeare-blackfriars-theatre.htm (26/6/2011)
Alchin, L. Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre. http://www.william-shakespeare.org.uk/shakespeare-globe-theatre.htm (26/6/2011)
Alchin, L. Performances of William Shakespeare Plays. http://www.william-shakespeare.org.uk/performances-william-shakespeare-plays.htm (26/6/2011)
Alchin, L. Elizabethan Theatre. http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-theatre.htm (26/6/2011)
Alchin, L. Elizabethan Costume. http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-costume.htm (26/6/2011)
McCurdy, P. The Reconstruction of the Globe Theatre. McCurdy & Co. Ltd. http://www.mccurdyco.com/globefab.html (26/6/2011)
Shakespeare’s Globe. http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/ (26/6/2011)