Shakespeare on the Soviet stage.

The first Shakespeare Theater was short-lived, about fourteen years, and burned to the ground when the theater's cannon misfired, igniting the wooden beams and the thatched roof above the stage. This time there were no casualties: the flames only hit the trousers of one of the spectators, who quickly put out the fire.

Shakespeare Theater The Globe is located in the capital of Great Britain, London, on the south bank of the Thames, near the Millennium Bridge, at 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT. On geographical map this temple of Melpomene can be found at the following coordinates: 51° 30′ 30″ N. latitude, 0° 5′ 50″w. d.

Despite the fact that this theater is quite young (the construction of the building was completed in 1997), the history of its existence goes back more than three hundred years and consists of three stages with a significant break:

The first theater was built by the actors of the Lord Chamberlain's Men troupe, to which William Shakespeare belonged, in 1599. This temple of Melpomene did not last long and in the summer of 1613 it completely burned down during a fire;
Despite significant damage, the building was rebuilt within a year, and the theater functioned in it until 1642, after which it was dismantled by the Puritans who came to power;
The modern theater, created according to descriptions and the remains of the building’s foundation discovered during archaeological excavations, was erected in the late nineties of the last century, two hundred meters from the location of the very first building.

The very first theater

It is interesting that the owners of the new theater were almost all the actors of the Lord Chamberlain's Men troupe: the Burbage brothers, Richard and Cuthbert each owned 25% of the shares, and the share of Shakespeare, Hemings, Philips and Pope was 12.5% each. Over time, the shares were partially sold, the number of shareholders increased, and the share of the actors decreased (for example, Shakespeare, as a result of various financial transactions, was left with only eight percent of the shares).

The fact that the Birdbage brothers owned the majority of the shares is no coincidence: during the construction of the theater, wooden elements of the first London theater, which belonged to their father and was built on rented land in 1576, were used. When the lease expired, the owner of the land where the theater was located raised the rent so much that it turned out to be more profitable to dismantle the building, transport it to a new location and reassemble it again.

The new theater became popular almost immediately: the name of William Shakespeare, the famous playwright, actor and co-owner of the theater, did its job - almost all of his dramatic works were staged in this temple of Melpomene. The actors were not fixated on Shakespeare alone, and therefore theater stage"Globe" one could see plays and other famous playwrights that period. Unfortunately, the new building did not last long: in July 1613, during the premiere of Shakespeare's play Henry XVIII, it was destroyed by fire.

External description of the first theater

Near the entrance to the building there was a sculpture of Atlas, on whose shoulders there was a globe surrounded by a ribbon (it was thanks to him new theater and got its name). On the ribbon of the globe one could read: “The whole world is a theater.”

The walls of the new building accommodated about 3 thousand spectators. In shape, it resembled a somewhat elongated amphitheater (29.6 by 31.1 meters), had three floors, and the roof was only above the stage. Due to lack of lighting, performances took place only during the day, without intermissions, using minimum quantity decorations (they were successfully replaced by signs with the words “Forest”, “Palace”, “Field”, etc.)

Near the walls of the first floor there were loggias for aristocrats, above them there were galleries for rich Londoners (seats were installed here). All other seats were standing room, and some especially privileged spectators were allowed to be directly on the stage. Interesting fact: a platform was provided near the stage where undemanding Londoners, paying one penny, could watch the performance while standing.

The width of the stage was thirteen meters, the depth was about eight, it rose one and a half meters above the floor and protruded somewhat forward. There was a hatch in the floor through which the performers were able to climb onto the stage from the basement (researchers also assume the presence of other hatches around the stage).

At the back of the stage there was an upper platform on which the musicians were located, and if the script required it, the ghost of Hamlet’s father appeared or Juliet stood during an explanation with Romeo. Above this platform there was a “House”, in the windows of which artists were shown.

The thatched roof, “heaven,” located above the stage, was supported by thick columns installed on the sides (researchers admit that the ceiling could well have depicted cloudy sky). This roof was also provided with a hatch through which the actors used ropes and cables to descend.

Second theater

The burnt theater in London was restored quite quickly and opened to the public in June 1614. Considering sad story previous structure, the new building was built of stone. True, this time the London theater was not lucky either. The Puritans had just come to power and, declaring that everything connected with theatrical activities, is sinful, immoral and vicious, the Globe was closed in 1642, and two years later it was completely dismantled, replacing it with apartment buildings - multi-apartment residential premises for rent.

Thus, the exact location of the theater was unknown for many centuries until its foundations were discovered under one of the parking lots on Park Street in the late 1980s.

Modern "Globe"

The history of London's Globe Theater did not end there: 350 years later, on the initiative of the American actor Sam Wanamaker, it was decided to revive the Shakespearean theater - and in 1997, the new building opened its doors to the public. It was located two hundred meters from the old building, it was built according to restored drawings from the times of the first “Globe”, and during its construction technologies of the 17th century were used.

For example, the plaster was made from a mixture of lime, sand and goat's hair, and the roof, which was installed only over the stage and over the seating, was covered with thatch.

Thus, the Shakespeare Theater was the first building with a thatched roof, which was allowed to be installed in the city after the fire that occurred in London in the middle of the 17th century. It was decided to abandon the installation of electric lighting, which could be used during performances, and therefore everything theatrical performances occur only during the day during the warm season, from May to September.

Although the theater is designed for 3 thousand spectators, due to security reasons, no more than 1,300 people can attend the performance. The hall has 700 standing seats, and in order for the audience to fully experience the spirit of the Elizabethan era, the etiquette rules of Shakespeare's times are allowed in the theater. This means that everyone who does not like the acting has the right to express their attitude by whistling and dissatisfied exclamations.

Life out of season

Despite the fact that you can attend a performance at the Globe Theater only from May to September (the rest of the time the troupe is on tour), tourists who come to London “out of season” should not despair too much: excursions are held here every day. In addition, near the theater there is a park museum dedicated to the great playwright. It houses the largest exhibition in the world dedicated to William Shakespeare, and also provides various activities: you can try to write a poem yourself, watch sword fights, and even actively participate in the production of a play.

The Globe Theatre, one of London's oldest theatres, is located on the south bank of the Thames.

The glorious history of Shakespeare's Globe Theater began in 1599, when in London, which was distinguished great love to theatrical art, buildings of public public theaters were built one after another. During the construction of the "Globe" were used Construction Materials, remaining from the dismantled building of the very first public London theater (it was called “Theater”). The owners of the building, a troupe of famous English actors, the Burbages, had their land lease expired; So they decided to rebuild the theater in a new location. The leading playwright of the troupe, William Shakespeare, who by 1599 had become one of the shareholders of Burbage's "Lord Chamberlain's Men" theater, was undoubtedly involved in this decision.

Theaters for the general public were built in London mainly outside the City, i.e. - outside the jurisdiction of the City of London. This was explained by the puritanical spirit of the city authorities, who were hostile to the theater in general. The Globe was a typical public theater building of the early 17th century: an oval room in the shape of a Roman amphitheater, enclosed by a high wall, without a roof. The theater got its name from the statue of Atlas supporting the globe that adorned its entrance. This globe (“globe”) was surrounded by a ribbon with the famous inscription: “The whole world is acting” (lat. Totus mundus agit histrionem; more famous translation: “The whole world is a theater”).

The stage was adjacent to the back of the building; above its deep part rose the upper stage area, the so-called. "gallery"; even higher there was a “house” - a building with one or two windows. Thus, there were four places of action in the theater: the proscenium, which jutted deep into the hall and was surrounded by the public on three sides, on which the main part of the action was played out; the deep part of the stage under the gallery, where interior scenes were played out; a gallery that was used to depict a fortress wall or balcony (the ghost of Hamlet's father appeared here or the famous scene on the balcony in Romeo and Juliet took place); and a “house”, in the windows of which actors could also appear. This made it possible to build a dynamic spectacle, incorporating various locations of action into the dramaturgy and changing points of audience attention, which helped maintain interest in what was happening on the set. This was extremely important: we must not forget that attention auditorium was not supported by any aids- the performances were performed in daylight, without a curtain, under the continuous roar of the audience, animatedly exchanging impressions in full voice.

The auditorium of the Globe accommodated different sources, from 1200 to 3000 spectators. It is impossible to establish the exact capacity of the hall - there were no seats provided for the bulk of commoners; They were crowded into the stalls, standing on the dirt floor. Privileged spectators were accommodated with some amenities: inside the walls were boxes for the aristocracy, above them there was a gallery for the wealthy. The richest and most noble sat on the sides of the stage, on portable three-legged stools. There were no additional amenities for spectators (including toilets); physiological needs, if necessary, were easily met during the performance - right in the auditorium. Therefore, the lack of a roof could be regarded as a benefit rather than a disadvantage - an influx fresh air did not let his loyal fans choke theatrical arts.

However, such simplicity of morals fully corresponded to the rules of etiquette of that time, and the Globus Theater very soon became one of the main cultural centers England: all the plays of William Shakespeare and other outstanding playwrights of the Renaissance were staged on its stage.

However, in 1613, during the premiere of Shakespeare's Henry VIII, a fire broke out in the theater: a spark from a stage cannon shot hit the thatched roof above the back of the stage. Historical evidence states that there were no casualties in the fire, but the building burned to the ground. The end of the “first Globe” symbolically marked a change in literary and theatrical eras: around this time, William Shakespeare stopped writing plays.

Letter about the fire at Globus

"And now I will entertain you with the story of what happened this week at Bankside. His Majesty's actors played new play entitled "All is True" (Henry VIII), representing the main points of the reign of Henry VIII. The production was decorated with extraordinary pomp, and even the stage covering was amazingly beautiful. Knights of the Order of George and the Garter, guards in embroidered uniforms and so on - everything was more than enough to make greatness recognizable, if not ridiculous. So, King Henry arranges a mask in the house of Cardinal Wolsey: he appears on stage, several shots of welcome are heard. One of the bullets apparently got stuck in the scenery - and then everything happened. At first, only a small smoke was visible, to which the audience, captivated by what was happening on stage, did not pay any attention; but after a split second the fire spread to the roof and began to spread rapidly, destroying the entire building to the ground in less than an hour. Yes, those were disastrous moments for this solid building, where only wood, straw and a few rags burned. True, one of the men’s trousers caught fire, and he could easily have been fried, but he (thank heavens!) guessed in time to put out the flames with ale from a bottle.”

Sir Henry Wotton

Soon the building was rebuilt, this time from stone; the thatched ceiling above the deep part of the stage was replaced with tiles. Burbage's troupe continued to play at the "second Globe" until 1642, when the Puritan Parliament and Lord Protector Cromwell issued a decree closing all theaters and prohibiting all theatrical entertainment. In 1644, the empty “second Globe” was rebuilt into premises for rent. The history of the theater was interrupted for more than three centuries.

Idea modern reconstruction The Globus Theater belongs, oddly enough, not to the British, but American actor, directed and produced by Sam Wanamaker. He came to London for the first time in 1949, and for about twenty years, together with his like-minded people, he collected materials about the theaters of the Elizabethan era bit by bit. By 1970 Wanamaker founded Trust Fund Shakespeare's Globe, intended for the reconstruction of the lost theater, the creation of an educational center and a permanent exhibition. Work on this project continued for more than 25 years; Wanamaker himself died in 1993, almost four years before the opening of the reconstructed Globe. The guideline for the reconstruction of the theater was the excavated fragments of the foundation of the old Globe, as well as the nearby Rose Theater, where Shakespeare’s plays were staged in “pre-Globe” times. The new building was built from green oak wood, processed in accordance with the traditions of the 16th century. and is located almost in the same place as before - the new one is 300 meters away from the old Globus. Careful reconstruction appearance combined with modern technical equipment of the building.

The new Globe opened in 1997 under the name Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Since, according to historical realities, the new building was built without a roof, performances are held in it only in spring and summer. However, tours of London's oldest theater, the Globe, are conducted daily. Already in this century A theme park museum dedicated to Shakespeare has opened next to the restored Globe. It houses the world's largest exhibition dedicated to the great playwright; A variety of themed entertainment events are organized for visitors: here you can try to write a sonnet yourself; watch a sword fight, and even take part in a production of a Shakespeare play.

The Globe Theatre, one of London's oldest theatres, is located on the south bank of the Thames.

The glorious history of Shakespeare's Globe Theater began in 1599, when in London, which was distinguished by its great love for theatrical art, public theater buildings were built one after another. During the construction of the Globe, building materials were used that were left over from the dismantled building of the very first public theater in London (it was called the “Theatre”). The owners of the building, a troupe of famous English actors, the Burbages, had their land lease expired; So they decided to rebuild the theater in a new location. The leading playwright of the troupe, William Shakespeare, who by 1599 had become one of the shareholders of Burbage's "Lord Chamberlain's Men" theater, was undoubtedly involved in this decision.

The name of this troupe is associated with the work of Shakespeare - his dramatic and acting activities. It was the production of the works of Shakespeare and other playwrights of the Renaissance that made this theater one of the most important centers cultural life countries. It was at this time (from the 16th century) performing arts turns from amateur to professional. Troupes of actors arise, initially leading a wandering existence. They move from city to city, giving performances at fairs and in hotel yards. Patronage began to develop. Representatives of wealthy aristocratic families accepted actors as part of their servants - this gave them an official social position, albeit an extremely low one.

Actors were considered servants of some nobleman. This position of the actors was recorded in the names of the troupes - “Lord Chamberlain’s Servants”, “Lord Admiral’s Servants”, “Lord Handson’s Servants”. When James I came to the throne, the right to patronize troupes was granted only to members of the royal family. Accordingly, the troupes were renamed "Servants of His Majesty the King" or "Servants of His Highness the Crown Prince", etc.

Theater in England from the very beginning was formed as a private enterprise, run by entrepreneurs. They built theater buildings that they rented out to acting troupes. For this, the owner received a large share of the fees from the performances. But there were also acting partnerships on shares. The life of the troupe in which Shakespeare was a member was built on such principles. Not all the actors in the troupe were shareholders - the poorer actors were on salary and did not participate in the division of income. This was the position of the actors on minor roles and teenagers playing female roles. Each troupe had its own playwrights who wrote plays for it.

The authors' connection with the theater was very close. It was the author who explained to the actors how to stage the play. Financial situation It was quite difficult for playwrights who worked for entrepreneurs and lived only on literary earnings. The actor-shareholder and playwright Shakespeare was able to achieve more favorable conditions for his work. In addition, he had patrons. He received significant sums from the Earl of Southampton. But in general, the playwright’s work was poorly valued and poorly paid. The venue for theatrical performances also served banquet halls in the palaces of the king and the nobility, hotel courtyards, as well as areas for bear baiting and cockfighting.

Special theater spaces appeared in the last quarter XVI century. The construction of permanent theaters was started by James Burbage, who in 1576 built a room for theatrical performances, which he called the “Theater”.

In London with late XVI century there were three types of theaters - court, private and public. They differed in the composition of the audience, in their structure, repertoire and playing style. Theaters for the general public were built in London mainly outside the City, that is, outside the jurisdiction of the London municipality, which was explained by the Puritan spirit of the bourgeoisie, which was hostile to theater in general. City theaters were of two types. These theaters had no roof. In most cases they were round in shape.

The Globe Theater was octagonal. Its auditorium was an oval area surrounded by a high wall, along the inner side of which there were boxes for the aristocracy. Above them there was a gallery for wealthy citizens. Spectators stood around three sides of the site. Some privileged spectators sat on the stage itself. The theater could accommodate up to 2000 (3000, according to various sources) people. Everyone was charged upon entry. Those who wanted to take seats in the gallery paid extra for this, as did the spectators sitting on the stage. The latter had to pay the most. The performances were performed in daylight, without intermissions and almost without decorations. The stage had no curtain. Her distinctive feature there was a proscenium that protruded strongly forward and a balcony in the back - the so-called upper stage, where the action of the performance also took place.

The stage jutted out into the auditorium - the audience surrounded it on three sides. Behind the stage there were artistic restrooms and storage areas for props and costumes. The stage was a platform about one meter high above the floor of the auditorium. From the artistic room there was an entrance under the stage, where there was a hatch through which “ghosts” appeared (for example, the shadow of Hamlet’s father) and where sinners destined for hell fell (like Faust in Marlowe’s tragedy). The proscenium was empty. As needed, tables, chairs, etc. were brought here, but for the most part the stage English theater was free from props.

The stage was divided into three parts: front, back and top. There were three doors at the back where the actors entered and exited. There was a balcony above the back stage - in Shakespeare's chronicles, characters appeared on the balcony and were assumed to be on the castle wall. The upper stage was a tribune or depicted Juliet's bedroom. Above the upper stage there was a structure called a “hut”. It was shaped like a house. There were one or two windows here, which served for those scenes where, during the course of the action, the characters talked from the window, like Juliet in the second act of the tragedy.

When a performance began in the theater, a flag was hung on the roof of the hut - it was far visible and served as an identification sign that a performance was being given in the theater. In the 20th century, more than once directors would return to the principles of the poor and ascetic theater of Shakespeare's time, even to the point of experimenting with seating spectators on stage.

The external poverty of the theater required the audience to actively perceive the performance - playwrights, including Shakespeare, relied on the imagination of the audience.

For example, Shakespeare's play "Henry V" contained images of the palaces of the English and French kings, battles and battles of two large armies. They couldn’t show this on stage, so Shakespeare directly addressed the audience:

Forgive me, gentlemen, if my mind is weak.

I decided on such pitiful stages

Depict such a tall object!

Like here, where the roosters just have time to fight,

Contain the plains of France? Or get bored

Here in the wooden "O" there are at least some helmets,

Causing a thunderstorm near Agincourt?

Forgive me!

But if there are numbers nearby

There are millions in a tiny space

It is possible to depict, then allow me

And to us, insignificant zeros in the total,

Multiply the power of imagination in you!

Imagine what's inside these walls

Two powerful states are concluded...

Fill up all our shortcomings

With your imagination...

However, such simplicity of morals fully corresponded to the rules of etiquette of that time, and the Globe Theater very soon became one of the main cultural centers of England: all the plays of William Shakespeare and other outstanding playwrights of the Renaissance were staged on its stage.

Shakespeare's plays demanded naturalness from the actor, when every passion must know its limits and conform every action to speech.

The theater was one of the favorite entertainments of that time, despite the fact that the Puritans, whose religion prohibited any entertainment, categorically opposed theatrical art.

Letter about the fire at Globus

“Now I will entertain you with the story of what happened this week at Bankside. His Majesty's actors were performing a new play called All is True (Henry VIII), representing the highlights of the reign of Henry VIII. The production was decorated with extraordinary pomp, and even the stage covering was amazingly beautiful. Knights of the Order of George and the Garter, guards in embroidered uniforms and so on - everything was more than enough to make greatness recognizable, if not ridiculous.

So, King Henry arranges a mask in the house of Cardinal Wolsey: he appears on stage, several shots of welcome are heard. One of the bullets apparently got stuck in the scenery - and then everything happened.

At first, only a small smoke was visible, to which the audience, captivated by what was happening on stage, did not pay any attention; but after a split second the fire spread to the roof and began to spread rapidly, destroying the entire building to the ground in less than an hour. Yes, those were disastrous moments for this solid building, where only wood, straw and a few rags burned. True, one of the men’s trousers caught fire, and he could easily have been fried, but he (thank heavens!) guessed in time to put out the flames with ale from a bottle.”

Sir Henry Wotton

In 1644, the empty “second Globe” was rebuilt into premises for rent. The history of the theater was interrupted for more than three centuries.

The idea of a modern reconstruction of the Globe Theater belongs, oddly enough, not to the British, but to the American actor, director and producer Sam Wanamaker. He came to London for the first time in 1949, and for about twenty years, together with his like-minded people, he collected materials about the theaters of the Elizabethan era bit by bit. By 1970, Wanamaker had founded the Shakespeare Globe Trust to rebuild the lost theater and create an educational center and permanent exhibition space. Work on this project continued for more than 25 years; Wanamaker himself died in 1993, almost four years before the opening of the reconstructed Globe.

The guideline for the reconstruction of the theater was the excavated fragments of the foundation of the old Globe, as well as the nearby Rose Theater, where Shakespeare’s plays were staged in “pre-Globe” times.

The new building was built from green oak wood, processed in accordance with the traditions of the 16th century. and is located almost in the same place as before - the new one is 300 meters away from the old Globus. Careful reconstruction of the appearance is combined with modern technical equipment of the building.

The new Globe opened in 1997 under the name Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Since, according to historical realities, the new building was built without a roof, performances are held in it only in spring and summer. However, tours of London's oldest theater, the Globe, are conducted daily. Already in this century, next to the restored Globe, a theme park museum dedicated to Shakespeare was opened. It houses the world's largest exhibition dedicated to the great playwright; A variety of themed entertainment events are organized for visitors: here you can try to write a sonnet yourself; watch a sword fight, and even take part in a production of a Shakespeare play.

One of oldest theaters England, The Globe is a public theater in London. It operated from 1599 to 1644. Until 1642, the “Lord Chamberlain's Men” troupe played at the Globe, led by the main actor of this theater, the tragedian R. Burbage. The name of this troupe is associated with the work of Shakespeare - his dramatic and acting activities. It was the production of works by Shakespeare and other playwrights of the Renaissance that made this theater one of the most important centers of cultural life in the country.

It was at this time (from the 16th century) that performing arts turned from amateur to professional. Troupes of actors arise, initially leading a wandering existence. They move from city to city, giving performances at fairs and in hotel yards. Patronage began to develop. Representatives of wealthy aristocratic families accepted actors as part of their servants - this gave them an official social position, albeit an extremely low one. Actors were considered servants of some nobleman. This position of the actors was recorded in the names of the troupes - “Lord Chamberlain’s Servants”, “Lord Admiral’s Servants”, “Lord Handson’s Servants”. When James I came to the throne, the right to patronize troupes was granted only to members of the royal family. Accordingly, the troupes were renamed "Servants of His Majesty the King" or "Servants of His Highness the Crown Prince", etc.

Theater in England from the very beginning was formed as a private enterprise - it was run by entrepreneurs. They built theater buildings that they rented out to acting troupes. For this, the owner received a large share of the fees from the performances. But there were also acting partnerships on shares. The life of the troupe in which Shakespeare was a member was built on such principles. Not all the actors in the troupe were shareholders - the poorer actors were on salary and did not participate in the division of income. This was the situation for actors in supporting roles and teenagers playing female roles.

Each troupe had its own playwrights who wrote plays for it. The authors' connection with the theater was very close. It was the author who explained to the actors how to stage the play. The financial situation of playwrights who worked for entrepreneurs and lived only on literary earnings was quite difficult. The actor-shareholder and playwright Shakespeare was able to achieve more favorable conditions for his work. In addition, he had patrons. He received significant sums from the Earl of Southampton. But in general, the playwright’s work was poorly valued and poorly paid.

Banquet halls in the palaces of the king and the nobility, hotel courtyards, as well as areas for bear baiting and cockfights also served as venues for theatrical performances. Special theater premises appeared in the last quarter of the 16th century. The construction of permanent theaters was started by James Burbage, who in 1576 built a room for theatrical performances, which he called the “Theater”. In London, from the end of the 16th century, there were three types of theaters - court, private and public. They differed in the composition of the audience, in their structure, repertoire and playing style.

Theaters for the general public were built in London mainly outside the City, that is, outside the jurisdiction of the London municipality, which was explained by the Puritan spirit of the bourgeoisie, which was hostile to theater in general. City theaters were of two types. These theaters had no roof. In most cases they were round in shape. The Globe Theater was octagonal. Its auditorium was an oval area surrounded by a high wall, along the inner side of which there were boxes for the aristocracy. Above them there was a gallery for wealthy citizens. Spectators stood around three sides of the site. Some privileged spectators sat on the stage itself. The theater could accommodate up to 2000 people. Everyone was charged upon entry. Those who wanted to take seats in the gallery paid extra for this, as did the spectators sitting on the stage. The latter had to pay the most. The performances were performed in daylight, without intermissions and almost without decorations. The stage had no curtain. Its distinctive feature was a strongly protruding proscenium and a balcony in the back - the so-called upper stage, where the action of the play also took place. The stage jutted out into the auditorium - the audience surrounded it on three sides. Behind the stage there were artistic restrooms and storage areas for props and costumes. The stage was a platform about one meter high above the floor of the auditorium. From the artistic room there was an entrance under the stage, where there was a hatch through which “ghosts” appeared (for example, the shadow of Hamlet’s father) and where sinners destined for hell fell (like Faust in Marlowe’s tragedy). The proscenium was empty. Tables, chairs, etc. were brought here as needed, but for the most part the stage of the English theater was free of props. The stage was divided into three parts: front, back and top. There were three doors at the back where the actors entered and exited. There was a balcony above the back stage - in Shakespeare's chronicles, characters appeared on the balcony and were assumed to be on the castle wall. The upper stage was a tribune or depicted Juliet's bedroom. Above the upper stage there was a structure called a “hut”. It was shaped like a house. There were one or two windows here, which served for those scenes where, during the course of the action, the characters talked from the window, like Juliet in the second act of the tragedy. When a performance began in the theater, a flag was hung on the roof of the hut - it was far visible and served as an identification sign that a performance was being given in the theater. In the 20th century, more than once directors would return to the principles of the poor and ascetic theater of Shakespeare's time, even to the point of experimenting with seating spectators on stage.

There were very few painted sets at the Globus Theater. The theater helped the viewer understand what was happening by hanging, for example, signs with inscriptions - with the name of the play, indicating the location of the action. Much in this theater was conventional - the same place depicted now one part of the field, now another, now the area in front of the building, now the room inside it. Mainly from the speeches of the heroes, the audience judged the change in the scene of action. The external poverty of the theater required the audience to actively perceive the performance - playwrights, including Shakespeare, relied on the imagination of the audience. For example, Shakespeare's play "Henry V" contained images of the palaces of the English and French kings, battles and battles of two large armies. They couldn’t show this on stage, so Shakespeare directly addressed the audience:

Forgive me, gentlemen, if my mind is weak
I decided on such pitiful stages
Depict such a tall object!
Like here, where the roosters just have time to fight,
Contain the plains of France? Or get bored
Here in the wooden "O" there are at least some helmets,
Causing a thunderstorm near Agincourt?
Forgive me! But if there are numbers nearby
There are millions in a tiny space
It is possible to depict, then allow me
And to us, insignificant zeros in the total,
Multiply the power of imagination in you!

Imagine what's inside these walls
Two powerful states are concluded...
Fill up all our shortcomings
With your imagination...

The theater nurtured the imagination of the public, trusted it, and it did not demand the complete materialization of everything that it heard from the lips of the actors. It can also be argued that the acting art of the era stood at a great height. All of Shakespeare's brilliant dramaturgy would remain unappreciated if the actors were not able to convey it to the audience. One can recall the words of Hamlet (his instruction to the actors) when he demands to pronounce a monologue " in easy language“, and not bawling, he demands “not to cut the air with your hands”: “It outrages my soul when I hear how a hefty, shaggy fellow tears passion into shreds, literally into rags, and rips the ears of the stalls...” Shakespeare's plays They demanded naturalness from the actor, when every passion must know its limits and conform every action to speech.

In 1613, the wooden building burned down, and the Globe Theater was again rebuilt from stone. In 1644, the Globe building was demolished by order of the Puritan Parliament.

And only in 1971, American film director and actor Sam Wanamaker tried to find the foundation of the Shakespeare Theater and began to build the building anew.

Work on this project continued for more than 25 years; Wanamaker himself died in 1993, almost four years before the opening of the reconstructed Globe.

In 1997, the new Globus was built. Modern building, accommodating 1,400 spectators, is a skillful reconstruction of the round wooden theater Elizabethan era.

Today, under the London sky, the words of Shakespeare's tragedies and comedies are heard from a round wooden platform.

Since the theater building has no roof, performances are held there only in spring and summer. However, tours of London's oldest theater, the Globe, are conducted daily.

Next to the restored Globe there is a theme park museum dedicated to Shakespeare. It houses the world's largest exhibition dedicated to the great playwright; A variety of themed entertainment events are organized for visitors: here you can try to write a sonnet yourself; watch a sword fight, and even take part in a production of a Shakespeare play.

Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine

Kirovograd National Technical University

"Shakespeare Theater"

Performed

Art. gr. ENM-08

Fomichenko A.V.

I checked

Kolomiets E.B.

Kirovograd 2010

The Globe Theatre, one of London's oldest theatres, is located on the south bank of the Thames.

The name of this troupe is associated with the work of Shakespeare - his dramatic and acting activities. It was the production of works by Shakespeare and other playwrights of the Renaissance that made this theater one of the most important centers of cultural life in the country. It was at this time (from the 16th century) that performing arts turned from amateur to professional. Troupes of actors arise, initially leading a wandering existence. They move from city to city, giving performances at fairs and in hotel yards. Patronage began to develop. Representatives of wealthy aristocratic families accepted actors as part of their servants - this gave them an official social position, albeit an extremely low one.

Theater in England from the very beginning was formed as a private enterprise, run by entrepreneurs. They built theater buildings that they rented out to acting troupes. For this, the owner received a large share of the fees from the performances. But there were also acting partnerships on shares. The life of the troupe in which Shakespeare was a member was built on such principles. Not all the actors in the troupe were shareholders - the poorer actors were on salary and did not participate in the division of income. This was the situation for actors in supporting roles and teenagers playing female roles. Each troupe had its own playwrights who wrote plays for it.

The authors' connection with the theater was very close. It was the author who explained to the actors how to stage the play. The financial situation of playwrights who worked for entrepreneurs and lived only on literary earnings was quite difficult. The actor-shareholder and playwright Shakespeare was able to achieve more favorable conditions for his work. In addition, he had patrons. He received significant sums from the Earl of Southampton. But in general, the playwright’s work was poorly valued and poorly paid. Banquet halls in the palaces of the king and the nobility, hotel courtyards, as well as areas for bear baiting and cockfights also served as venues for theatrical performances.

Special theater premises appeared in the last quarter of the 16th century. The construction of permanent theaters was started by James Burbage, who in 1576 built a room for theatrical performances, which he called the “Theater”.

In London, from the end of the 16th century, there were three types of theaters - court, private and public. They differed in the composition of the audience, in their structure, repertoire and playing style. Theaters for the general public were built in London mainly outside the City, that is, outside the jurisdiction of the London municipality, which was explained by the Puritan spirit of the bourgeoisie, which was hostile to theater in general. City theaters were of two types. These theaters had no roof. In most cases they were round in shape.

The Globe Theater was octagonal. Its auditorium was an oval area surrounded by a high wall, along the inner side of which there were boxes for the aristocracy. Above them there was a gallery for wealthy citizens. Spectators stood around three sides of the site. Some privileged spectators sat on the stage itself. The theater could accommodate up to 2000 (3000, according to various sources) people. Everyone was charged upon entry. Those who wanted to take seats in the gallery paid extra for this, as did the spectators sitting on the stage. The latter had to pay the most. The performances were performed in daylight, without intermissions and almost without decorations. The stage had no curtain. Its distinctive feature was a strongly protruding proscenium and a balcony in the back - the so-called upper stage, where the action of the play also took place.

The stage jutted out into the auditorium - the audience surrounded it on three sides. Behind the stage there were artistic restrooms and storage areas for props and costumes. The stage was a platform about one meter high above the floor of the auditorium. From the artistic room there was an entrance under the stage, where there was a hatch through which “ghosts” appeared (for example, the shadow of Hamlet’s father) and where sinners destined for hell fell (like Faust in Marlowe’s tragedy). The proscenium was empty. Tables, chairs, etc. were brought here as needed, but for the most part the stage of the English theater was free of props.

The external poverty of the theater required the audience to actively perceive the performance - playwrights, including Shakespeare, relied on the imagination of the audience.

Forgive me, gentlemen, if my mind is weak.

I decided on such pitiful stages

Depict such a tall object!

Like here, where the roosters just have time to fight,

Contain the plains of France? Or get bored

Here in the wooden "O" there are at least some helmets,

Causing a thunderstorm near Agincourt?

Forgive me!

But if there are numbers nearby

There are millions in a tiny space

It is possible to depict, then allow me

And to us, insignificant zeros in the total,

Multiply the power of imagination in you!

Imagine what's inside these walls

Two powerful states are concluded...

Fill up all our shortcomings

With your imagination...

Shakespeare's plays demanded naturalness from the actor, when every passion must know its limits and conform every action to speech.

The theater was one of the favorite entertainments of that time, despite the fact that the Puritans, whose religion prohibited any entertainment, categorically opposed theatrical art.

Letter about the fire at Globus

Sir Henry Wotton

In 1644, the empty “second Globe” was rebuilt into premises for rent. The history of the theater was interrupted for more than three centuries.

The new Globe opened in 1997 under the name Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Since, according to historical realities, the new building was built without a roof, performances are held in it only in spring and summer. However, tours of London's oldest theater, the Globe, are conducted daily. Already in this century, next to the restored Globe, a theme park museum dedicated to Shakespeare was opened. It houses the world's largest exhibition dedicated to the great playwright; A variety of themed entertainment events are organized for visitors: here you can try to write a sonnet yourself; watch a sword fight, and even take part in a production of a Shakespeare play.

Morality plays and interludes (a transitional form from morality play to farce) to the main theatrical genres - tragedy and comedy. The second is the end of the 16th century. and the beginning of the 17th century, until the death of Shakespeare in 1616 - the highest flowering of the English theater of the Renaissance. The third - from the death of Shakespeare in 1616 to the closure of theaters by the Puritan authorities in 1642 - marks the crisis and decline of the English theater. English theater countdown...

It did not favor the development of tragedy and comedy; pastoral became a favorite genre. She brought respite from worldly worries. She created the appearance of the desired harmony. At its peak, the theater found itself in England. The theater of the English Renaissance is Shakespeare and his brilliant entourage: Marlowe, Greene, Beaumont, Fletcher, Champion, Nash, Ben Jonson. But all these last names belong to their century...