Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre: An experience not to be missed in London

A pleasant way to spend an afternoon in London: Shakespeare in the sun. Photo credit: Alissa Smith

As one of English literature’s most recognizable places, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre holds a position of authority in the realm of landmarks. It has stood in almost the exact same place for over 400 years. This particular Globe is the third version, built 100 yards from the initial foundations, and it is the only building in London that is allowed to have a thatched roof since the Great Fire of 1666.

Now, in an attempt to not bore you with all the historical details about the building and the playwright that made it famous it is better to describe the place instead.

To actually get into the Globe you need one of two things, a theatre ticket or a ticket for the tour and exhibition. Tours go out every half hour and last half an hour. Ticket prices for the T&E go for £8.50 with a valid student card, so keep that handy.

For the exhibition, make sure you get there with 20-30 minutes to spare before your tour because the exhibit is really worth looking at. Beyond the classic dioramas, historical videos and the bits and bobs that museums seem to find so brilliant, the hall is very interactive. You can try on pieces of costume armour, which are really very heavy, as well as booths where you can record yourself speaking a Shakespearean scene. Often there will be people practicing sword fighting or a lecture taking place. Sometimes there are also tutorials about different aspects of how something was done, for example the period’s carpenting.

Forget those musky textbooks! Experience Shakespeare as it was meant to be. Photo credit: Alissa Smith

After having glanced about the entirety of the exhibition you’ll be summoned to get ready for the tour by a loud bell. From there you move on to the half hour informative tour of the theatre. Once the tour is underway, you’ll learn all sorts of informative things about the building like the obscene number of trees it took to build it and that there is Cashmere goats hair in the plaster that covers the walls.

When going into the actual theatre if you are lucky enough to be asked to be quiet, don’t fret – it means that there is a rehearsal going on. Remember that it is a working theatre and thus rehearsals are on at any time.

The Globe opens for the season on 23 April, Shakespeare’s birthday, and closes on 3 October. For five months the theatre will show mostly Shakespearean plays. This season they are showing Macbeth, Henry VIII, Henry IV, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and several others. They are also showing two more modern shows that are not from Shakespeare.

Seeing a show performed on the Globe stage is an experience, not only because the seats are moderately uncomfortable at £25 or because you have no money and can afford only a groundling ‘seat’ at £5. Groundlings are those lucky people who stand in the yard in front of the stage. It’s actually a lot of fun.

Just because you were traumatized as a student by a bad Shakespeare professor doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go to see one of the plays there. It is an experience not to be missed.