The Globe Theater, famous for performing Shakespeare’s works, was built in London in 1599 and destroyed by fire during a performance of Henry VIII in 1613. It was rebuilt twice and the current Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre opened in 1997. The original theater was an open-air amphitheater with a rectangular stage and seating for 3,000 patrons. The new theater was reconstructed as close to the original specifications as possible and remains open-air, only operating during the summer.
The Globe Theater was a theater built in London in 1599 and famously used to perform the works of William Shakespeare and The Lord Chamberlain’s Men theater company. The original building was destroyed by fire in 1613, during a performance of Shakespeare’s Henry VIII. Two reconstructions of the Globe Theater have been made, one in the 17th century and one completed in 1997, 750 feet (230m) away from the original site.
James Burbage, a mid-16th century actor, leased a large plot of land in the 16th century and built a theater called The Theatre. When the lease expired in 1576, the owner planned to tear down the theater, claiming the building belonged to him. Determined to keep operating, James Burbage, his son Richard Burbage and the actors of The Lord Chamberlain’s Men spent a busy few days dismantling the theater beam by beam and transporting it to a warehouse on the banks of the Thames. In early 1598, building materials were ferried across the river and turned into the Globe Theatre.
No building plans exist for the original Globe Theater, but scholars have studied its history for many years and have a basic understanding of the building. It is believed to have been an almost circular open-air amphitheater that held 3,000 patrons. Seating consisted of upper balconies with benches, for the more affluent patrons, and a standing room-only pit for those too poor to afford a seat.
A 43-foot (13.1 m) wide rectangular shaped stage called an “apron” extended 27 (8.2 m) feet into the audience and is believed to have been approximately 5 feet (1.5 m) off the ground. The back of the stage was covered by a roof, called “the heavens”. The stage and the sky have been equipped with trap doors, for magical entrances and exits. A balcony above the sky was often used for musicians, but could also serve as an upper level for the stage.
During a 1613 performance of one of Shakespeare’s final plays, Henry VIII, a stage cannon jammed, setting the roof on fire. Composed mostly of timber, the Globe was completely destroyed in the resulting fire. A second Globe Theater was built the following year on the same foundations, continuing operations until closed in 1642 and destroyed in 1644.
Construction workers discovered the foundations of the Globe Theater in 1989, sparking interest in a thorough reconstruction of the theatre. In 1993, construction began on the new theater under the direction of architect Theo Crosby. Using the research of theater historian John Orrell, the theater was built as close to the original specifications as current building codes and modern conveniences allow. The new theatre, operating under the name Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, officially opened in 1997 with a production of Shakespeare’s Henry V. Because the theater remains open-air, performances are only held during the summer and attract thousands of spectators each year.
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