Yesterday, June 29, 2008, marks the date that The Globe Theatre–which belonged to Shakespeare and his company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men–burned to a crisp. During a performance of Henry VIII, a cannon misfired and ignited the theatre’s wooden beams and thatched roof. Though small with only a couple of exits, the theatre could hold up to 3,000 spectators, scholars say. Therefore, it’s quite remarkable that no one was injured during this blazing ordeal.
In any case, for a relatively young theatre, The Globe has an eventful history:
– first built in 1599 with wood from another London theatre
– burned in 1613
– rebuilt in 1614
– closed by the Puritans in 1642
– demolished in 1644 to make room for tenement buildings
– its exact location discovered in 1989
– rebuilt in 1997 but with several water sprinklers (I was fortunate enough to be in London that summer!)
But despite the theatre’s history and the fact that Shakespeare owned a portion of the venue (an uncommon occurrence in those days), it is these sights and smells that most intrigue my students when we take time to discuss The Globe, which…
- boasted vendors who offered beer, water, oranges, nuts, and apples–all of which were sometimes thrown at the actors
- smelled like garlic, tobacco, and sweat. Yeah, garlic was supposed to hide body odor and bad breath. (What the #$@& were they thinking?!)
- reeked of urine. As there was no intermission, buckets were passed around for spectators to relieve themselves. Hike up that skirt, ladies!
- was full of pickpockets and whores. Hold on to those wallets, gentlemen!
With the constant state of uncleanliness, the threat of the black plague, religious turmoil throughout the country, and the looming Great Fire of London, this was indeed a tough time to live. But oh, it’s such a fantastic time period to study!
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Professor of film and Shakespeare. Advocate of social media. Lover of popular culture,