Shakespeare’s Globe

This being the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, there is even more interest than usual in his life and works. The original GlobeTheatre where Shakespeare had his plays performed was destroyed in a fire in 1613 when a cannon misfired during a performance of Henry viii and the thatch and wooden beams caught fire. It was rebuilt the following year but closed for good by the Puritans in 1642. The modern Globe in London’s South Bank was opened in 1997 and it mirrors the original to a large extent. In the old days, poorer theatre goers paid one penny to enter the yard surrounding the stage where there were no seats. There they stood, laughing, jeering and cheering the actors during the performances. Today, you can still buy a ticket for the yard for £5, the equivalent of one penny in Shakespeare’s day. Below is the Globe Theatre today.(Photo courtesy of Globe Theatre)

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