Globe Theatre

Reconstruction of the theatre after more than 300 years

The original theatre, however, fell victim to a devastating fire during a performance in 1613. Afterwards, the building was quickly rebuilt. In 1642 the theatre was closed and finally demolished two years later.

It was not until more than 300 years later that the famous theatre was reconstructed on the initiative of the us-American Sam Wanamaker in the 20th century. In 1997 the "new" Globe Theatre was opened very close to the former original next to the famous Tate Gallery. Like the original, the new theatre building was given a thatched roof.

Since then, the most different works of Shakespeare are traditionally performed here, especially during the summer months. In addition, the theatre building houses one of the world's largest exhibitions on the world-famous work and life of William Shakespeare. Visitors can explore the Globe Theatre on 30-minute English-language tours. In the large visitor centre, among other things, expert theatre guides give an exciting insight into the world of the new theatre building and the original and tell lots of exciting stories about William Shakespeare.

Among other things, numerous exhibits from the life of the famous writer can be seen. The Globe Theatre is open daily from 9am to 5pm. However, the guided tours through the theatre that take place every half hour are only offered when there are no performances taking place here. The building also hosts various touring and special exhibitions on a variety of topics from time to time.

The Structure of the Globe Theatre

In addition to its history, the theatre building itself is always worth a visit due to its unusual architecture. The octagonal half-timbered building with a diameter of 30 metres is not only very close to the original because of the thatched roof. The dark oak beams and the white plaster made of sand, lime and real goat's hair also correspond to the original Globe Theatre. The capacity of the three-storey theatre has been limited to 1,500 visitors for safety reasons.

The original Globe Theatre had seated a total of 3,000 spectators. Since the interior is a true open-air theatre, as in the original, performances only take place during the summer months. The interior is standing room only. Only the seats in the boxes are roofed. The stage, which is 15 metres wide and seven metres deep, extends far into the auditorium, so that a very good view is guaranteed from all seats.

In order to be as close as possible to the original plays from Shakespeare's time, even today's performances do without elaborate stage sets and modern technology. In this way, the audience is transported to the theatre of the late 16th century. The music is always played live. The musicians use historical instruments. If you have the time, you should definitely treat yourself to one of these theatre performances in this historic building.