Shakespeare's Theatre: The Globe Playhouse

[Music] [Music] out of London into outlying districts this did not stop [Music] the three to 4,000 crossed the temp River just to enjoy themselves many stepped from the boats and hurried toward the octagonal building known as the globe Playhouse where William Shakespeare was part owner actor and leading playwright this fluttering signal at top the globe announced play this afternoon once inside whether they were sitting in the roofed galleries or standing in the unroofed pit the Spectators saw a most unusual structure known as the tiring house here lighted only by the afternoon sun were seven different acting areas backed by property and dressing rooms on the first level the globe's largest stage known as the platform jutted out into the middle of the audience most of a play's action took place here the platform could represent a street with a row of houses or it became anything suggested by Shakespeare's words a garden Battlefield Woods or a Sea Coast here is how Shakespeare created the setting for a scene in 12th night what country friends is this this is Lira lady a curtained inner stage called the study was also used regularly with curtains open the study normally resembled a room in the average Elizabethan house but by merely changing the wall hangings or placing a property this stage could indicate many different settings a general's tent frier cell a room in the tavern or a cave when the study was used alone the actors stayed within its boundaries on the platform form was disregarded just as we today forget the orchestra pit or proia March once the play begins frequently these two acting areas were used together to represent one large interior such as a ballroom Senate chamber or throne room under the influence of study Furniture such as a throne the locality of the platform changed actors moved freely over the two stages sometimes the platform and study became an exterior connected with an interior for example the Verona graveyard with the Capulet burial vault in Romeo and Juliet or a battlefield under General's tent in Julius Caesar for example casassus and Brutus with their soldiers meet on the platform representing a camp near Sardis before the tent of Brutus before the eyes of both our armies here which should perceive nothing but love from us let us not Wrangle bid them move away then in my tent Casas enlarge your griefs and I will give you audience the were four acting areas on the second level of the globe this narrow balcony known as the terce was rarely used alone probably this is where pindarus climbed the hill to scan the battlefield of Philippi at the bidding of casassus standing on Lower ground generally the terce became absorbed as the chamber was revealed this second level inner stage was used mainly for interior scenes and the ladies especially were at home here from the chamber lady McBeth probably spoke her most secret thoughts to Shakespeare's audience Cal you spirits that tend on Mortal Thoughts unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe top full of dest Cruelty make thick my blood connected with the study by a backstage staircase the chamber was often used as a second interior in the same house or castle in the study Hamlet probably Came Upon Claudius praying and during a long Soliloquy made the decision to kill his uncle at another time as Hamlet left this room the audience immediately saw Gertrude and ponus above in her room mother mother mother withdraw I hear him coming ad joining the chamber were two identical acting areas the window stages used for scenes of f domestic Intrigue prison life or courtship usually the action took place between an actor in a window stage and another on the platform or in the chamber more than one crisis in the story of Romeo and Juliet was enacted here imagine the excitement of Shakespeare's audience when Lady Capulet appeared in her daughter's chamber while Juliet in the window stage was still pulling up the rope ladder by which Romeo had just descended on the third level we find the seventh stage called The Music Gallery occasionally actors appeared here when a play called for an extra height to create a tower or shipmast head however for Shakespeare's plays the music Gallery was used almost exclusively to house the musicians and they were kept busy behind closed curtains accompanying songs dances and processions as well as interpreting such musical effects as flourishes and senet [Music] in addition to the acting areas the globe Playhouse was filled from the tower holding the flag to The Cellar underneath the platform with fixed scenery and Stage machines to help make performances exciting spectacular and realistic the most conspicuous features of the fixed scenery were the two large stage posts they were frequently used by the actors as trees for hiding from each other as posts upon which to tie victims as well as ship's masts or Maples even the doorposts were called into use for hiding or eavesdropping and at times an actor stepped under the terce to keep from the sight of a character above but what about the sudden appearance of ghosts witches and other unworldly characters trap doors were cut in the floors and sealings of the larger stages through these The Witches of McBeth Hamlet's father's ghost and other apparitions appeared usually accompanied by smoke and thunder and disappeared [Music] in the study floor was the grave trap where Hamlet no doubt stood while he recalled his old childhood friend Alas poor York I knew him Horatio a fellow of infinite Gest of most excellent fancy he hath borne me on his back a thousand times sometimes Spirits gods or goddesses sudden ly dropped from above and returned to the heavens through the trap in the stage cover the Huts or super structure on the fourth level held the Machinery which raised and lowered actors and properties from here too came most of the sound effects in front stood the trumpeter who sounded Thrice to open a play here the cannon was shot off during battle and coronation scenes here hung the great alaram bell used to make confusion more realistic and here the heavy Cannonball was rolled to make the Thunder of Shakespeare's many fearful nights this then is the theater for which Shakespeare wrote most of his plays its great flexibility made possible a scope and continuous sweep of action comparable to the motion picture of today three factors enable Shakespeare's audience to follow a play action in The Globe the dialogue the logical sequence of events and the corresponding movement from one stage to another the last few scenes of mcdeth illustrate these points very well near the end of act four Malcolm and magdu leave England headed for Scotland determined to get revenge on McBeth immediately a doctor and gentlewoman are revealed in a window stage where they remain throughout lady mcbeth's famous sleepwalking scene in the chamber as the chamber curtains close a part of the Scottish Army moving to join the English surges onto the platform which is localized by the dialogue near Burnham Wood shall we well meet them that way are they coming what does the Tyrant great dunen he strongly fortifies make we our March towards Burnham the Army moves on as the chamber curtains open showing MC Beth and attendants in a room of his castle at danan he knows now that an army of 10,000 is approaching his wife is ill and his own men are deserting him but McBeth boasts I will not be afraid of death and Bane till Burnham Forest come to dunain let chamber curtains close and the United Scottish and English forces under Malcolm McDuff pour onto the platform again Shakespeare's words identify the setting what wood is this before us the wood of Burnham let every Soldier heue him down a bow and bear before him thereby shall we Shadow the numbers of our host and make Discovery ear in report of us mcbeth's pursu march on and again the pursued appears still boasting hang out our banners on the outward walls the CRI is still they come our Castle strength will laugh a Siege to scorn wherefor was that cry the queen my Lord is dead she should have died Hereafter there would have been a time for such a word tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow Creeps in this Petty Pace from day to day until the last syllable of recorded time and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the waight a Dusty death out out brief candle life's but a walking Shadow a poor player that Str nuts and Frets is our upon the stage and then is heard no more it is a tale told by an idiot full of Sound and Fury signifying nothing th comes to use thy tongue my story quickly as I did stand my watch upon the hill I looked toward Burnham and on we thought the wood began to move arm arm and out Ring the Alarm Bell blow Wind come rack at least we'll die with Horus on our back now Malcolm's forces collect before the castle and MC Beth appears at the entrance they have tied me to a stake I cannot fly but beike I must fight the course MC Beth meets his bitter enemy McDuff as they leave the stage fighting we hear mcb's final boast lay on McDuff and damn be him that first cries hold enough to cover the time necessary for MC Beth's death off stage Malcom enters and casualties are disgusted until McDuff appears above on the castle parit with mcbeth's head on a pike he greets Malcolm hail King for so Thou Art behold where stands the usurper head the time is free hail King of Scotland King Malcolm then invites everyone to attend his coronation at schoon and a flourish of Music accompanies the procession to EMP the stage [Music] and the play is ended at the globe