Seeing The Globe was one of the things I was most excited for on this trip, and the history behind it made the visit exceed my expectations. I learned many things that I was not aware of, and also discovered how history has been preserved through the shows put on today in the theatre.
Shows put on at The Globe are famous for the amount of crowd interaction and eye contact, which exceeds the amount you’d find at any other theatre in England. Here, the actors even talk with the crowd during the play. This shows not only the talent of the actors, but also how important it is to them to get the audience involved. Another detail that shows the crowd’s role in the show is the lighting. Typically, when any type of show on a theatre begins, the lights go down on the audience and a spotlight hits the stage, illuminating the actors and props, making them the focal point. However, this is not what you’ll find at The Globe. There, you have an open air theatre, meaning that the whole stadium is lit up, and no lighting is there to emphasize the stage above the audience. Although I already found this interesting, what blew my mind was that these are not new techniques.
Shakespeare intended wholeheartedly for his plays to be performed this way from the second the reached The Globe in 1599. The Globe was a place of entertainment, in more ways than one. At this time, theatre was banned in London, but only on one side of the river, Where the Globe was set up, all was fair, so they went all out. From gambling to prostitution, you could find it all at The Globe. Even while plays were being shown, the theatre was not quiet. Business was being handled, deals were being made, and people were having a grand old time. This was the way Shakespeare intended it, almost as a retaliation to the people in power for taking away the “joys of life,” in his people’s eyes.
When I heard we were seeing a Shakespeare play at The Globe, I expected it to be a very serious, formal experience. While the show was incredible, the vibe was quite the opposite. We saw “The Taming of a Shrew,” and it definitely was not what I was expecting. The play was chaotic in a sense, and to be honest I wasn’t following the purpose of it at first. However, upon talking to one of the actresses after the play, my mind expanded much more to the world of theater and what certain things can sometimes intend. The story behind this play is quite awful, so the eccentricity of this rendition really tries to emphasize that. They also do this with Kate, the “shrew’s,” interaction with he audience. I learned an incredible amount from this trip and have continued to think about it upon being home. I am beyond thankful for this experience and the new things I have learned!
