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Shakespeare First Folio

The Globe Theatre for which Shakespeare wrote many of his most famous plays, was erected in 1599 by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. When the lease on the land at their playhouse, The Theatre, in Shoreditch ran out, the company decided to rebuild it on the south bank of the River Thames. They dismantled the timber frame building and pieced a similar structure together and called it The Globe. This painting from 1840 is one of the earliest attempts to imagine the Globe’s interior during performance. In fact Queen Elizabeth never visited the Globe or any other public theatre.

Queen Elizabeth at the Globe

The project was financed by seven of the actors (of whom Shakespeare was one) and they became the ‘housekeepers’ who had investment in the building as well as the company. They also received a share of the takings from the gallery.

The 20 sided structure had a capacity of up to 3,000 people. A reconstruction of the Globe was built in the 1990s; for more information visit their website at http://www.shakespeares-globe.org

Shakespeare Beer Tap