The Globe

The Globe Theatre—along with the Rose, the Swan, and the Hope—was one of the foremost theatres in the London area during the 16th century. Due to the genius of Shakespeare's writing, the acting prowess of Richard Burbage, and the reputation of Lord Chamberlain's Men (later, the King's Men), the Globe became the most famous and successful theatre of its time. The rocky history of the Globe, however, is not indicative of its steady popularity. Having survived a devastating fire, a law suit, Puritan outrage, and a move to the other side of town, the Globe Theatre—as it still exists today—stands as a symbol of the permanence of Shakespeare's legacy.

The Globe was built with the foundation of James Burbage's 1576 creation, The Theatre, which had been inherited by James's sons, Cuthbert and Richard Burbage. After The Theatre's lease expired, Richard Burbage attempted to appropriate the Blackfriars theatre in Upper Frater Hall, but neighbors of the theatre signed a petition to oust the players from Blackfriars. In 1598, Lord Chamberlain's Men retreated back to The Theatre, dismantled it, and moved its materials to Bankside, an area west of London, in order to build the Globe.

Unfortunately, The Theatre was not owned but leased by the Lord Chamberlain's Men. When the real owner realized what the players had done, he filed a lawsuit against them. Surprisingly, the company not only won this case and continued to perform in their new theatre, but in 1609, won the rights to perform at Blackfriars as well.

An open-air octagonal amphitheater, the Globe could seat up to 3,000 spectators in front of a stage platform nearly 43 feet wide and 28 feet deep.

In 1613, the Globe was reduced to ashes due to the firing of a cannon during a performance of Henry VIII, which set the thatched roof of the theatre in flames. Although work began promptly to resurrect the Globe and was completed shortly before Shakespeare's death, the new Globe was destroyed in 1644—two years after the Puritans banned plays and other forms of entertainment.

For over three hundred years, the theatre of one of the most influential playwrights of all time existed only in historical documents and memory—that is, until actor Sam Wanamaker started the reconstruction of the Globe in the early 1990's. Using traditional methods and materials, builders modeled the new Globe after what had been determined about the original Elizabethan theatre's design. Thus, the new Globe boasts of wooden benches and a standing-room only area, and plays in the open-air theatre are performed regardless of the weather.

This third version was completed in 1996 and opened by Queen Elizabeth II with a production of Henry V in 1997. The Globe now stands near the original site, and is, not surprisingly, the venue for several Shakespeare plays every year.