Globe Theatre and Theatre Conventions

Julia Zirkelbach and Jordan Ledyard

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

• Globe Theatre was constructed in 1599

• James Burbage built the theatre

• The theatre was built on leased land which shakespeare paid for by using his theatre earnings

• Shakespeare's acting company used this theatre in late 1599.

• The purpose of the theatre was to be able to use big props such as, cannons, fireworks, smoke effects, and flying entrances.

Structure

• The theatre was built out of timber

• The theatre is a hexagonal structure with an inner courtyard

• The inner courtyard is 55 feet across

• The theatre was three stories high and had no roof

• The courtyard could hold 1,500 people

Seating

• Shakespeare made the theatre’s seats so that all the seats have a clear view of the stage.

• There was lower middle

and upper seats.

• Wealthier people got

upper seating

• Lower class got the

courtyard or lower seating

Box Office and Ticket Prices

• A play only cost 1c to ge in, almost 10% of a persons daily wage

• Some productions are more expensive than others depending on the popularity of it

• No refunds on pre-bought tickets

• Tickets can be exchanged for a different show

• -You can buy gift cards for gifts for other people

Theatre Productions

The first play at the Globe Theatre was Julius Caesar in 1599

Some other productions in the Globe Theatre where…

• Hamlet

• Twelfth Night or What You Will

• Richard II

• All’s Well That Ends Well

• Macbeth

Watching a Play

Watching a play at Globe Theatre was very difficult because,

• There was no backdrops to give you the setting

• No lighting

• Only a few props

• Stage direction gave you an idea of the character's emotions.

Spectators had to use their imagination if they wanted to get an understanding of the play.

The Stage At Globe Theatre

Height of the stage is five feet tall

• The stage was forty feet wide and thirty feet long

• Trap doors below the stage where for emergencies and characters to come on stage (ghosts).

Theatre Destruction

• On June 29, 1613 a misfired cannonball set the theatre’s roof on fire. The whole theatre eventually was consumed by the fire.

• The theatre was rebuilt and then demolished in 1644.

What Is a Theatre Convention?

A theatrical convention is when a director or playwright helps tell/narrate the play.

• There are many different types of theatrical conventions

• There are different types of conventions foro Playwrightso Directorso Designerso Actors

Why Are Conventions Important?

Without theatrical conventions it would be hard to identify…

• Setting

• Mood/Atmosphere

• Character

• Symbolism

• Theme

• Tradgedy

Playwright Conventions

Some type of playwright conventions are…

• Narration (Playwright describes scene)

• Flashbacks/Future

• Song and Music

• Personification (Turn inanimate object real)

Director Conventions

Some type of director conventions are…

• Suggestive Scenery or Costuming (Different costumes)

• Pantomime (Dramatizing things)

• Stylized Movement (Dance or synced movement)

• Tempo of scenes (Pace)

• Split Scenes/Conversations

Designer Conventions

Some types of conventions directors use are…

• Sets (Change setting)

• Light and Sounds (Music change)

• Illusion ( Beyond the set there is more)

• Set Pieces ( Props)

• Symbolic set piece (Prop with symbolic meaning)

Actor Conventions

Some types of actor conventions are…

• Fourth Wall (Pretending the audience is not there)

• Endowment (Promoting something)

• Sense Memory (Bring back memory)

• Address Direct Audience (Talk to audience member)

Bibliography "The Old Globe Theater History." The OLD GLOBE THEATER History. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. <

http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-globe-theatre.htm>.

"Shakespeare's Globe: Theatre - Seating Plan & Ticket Prices / Shakespeare's Globe." Shakespeare's Globe: Theatre - Seating Plan & Ticket Prices / Shakespeare's Globe. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.

"Globe Theatre: Information on the outside and inside of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre." Globe Theatre: Information on the outside and inside of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

"Shakespeare's Globe." Shakespeare Resource Center -. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.

"Conventions in Theatre." Conventions in Theatre. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

"Elizabethan Theatre Conventions." The Drama Teacher. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.