Golden Globe

Happy 4th of July. Here on the blog, I'm observing the holiday by writing more about my trip to the land from which we declared our independence. I'm up to wrapping up Tuesday night of our London trip, which was a very special night at the theater. Not just any theater -- Shakespeare's Globe.


For nearly 30 years, a Trust spearheaded by a very dedicated actor and director was trying to build a recreation of the Globe Theater, Shakespeare's original performance space, as it actually appeared in the playwright's time. In 1997, the dream was finally realized. "Shakespeare's Globe" was built on a site just 750 feet from where the original theater stood, and I understand that the move was largely deliberate; the Thames river has receded since Shakespeare's time, and the new location accurately reflects its original riverside position. The recreation itself is a "best guess" approximation, based largely on what the first Globe was thought to look like, combined with a few elements of the second Globe, built just after Shakespeare's time (but demolished three decades later).

There were some concessions to modern requirements, but not so many as you might think. The roof is actually thatched -- the only thatched roof in all of London (though made of flame-retardant materials, and protected by a hidden sprinkler system). There are electric lights used to illuminate the stage as the evening rolls on, but they're hung unobtrusively, and there are absolutely no spotlights or special techniques employed.

The theater itself is a three story ring of seating...


...surrounding a tall stage...


...that thrusts out into an open yard...


...where hundreds of people -- "groundlings" -- are able to stand and watch the show up close. As fun as it might have been to be one of those groundlings, we figured after all the walking around we'd be doing, we'd be grateful to sit for the duration of the play. Either way, just being there, I was happy.


And my boyfriend was enjoying the venue too...


As for the play itself, we saw Henry V. It's not among my favorite of Shakespeare's plays, but was a pretty good one for the occasion. It's a very nationalistic play, a rousing and somewhat romanticized look at the famous king. Where better to see it?

The cast was exceptional, led by Jamie Parker in the title role. He played Henry with swagger and charisma, a fun fusion of Kenneth Branagh's take on the role in his film version with Captain Kirk. He had two wonderfully playful moments during the performance we saw: in one, he delivered a rousing speech to groundlings right there in the pit, practically knocking over a stick-thin young man with an enthusastic clap on the shoulder with his armored glove; in another, he brilliantly aimed a musing that "we're in God's hands" at a persistent helicopter that had taken a few passes over the theater throughout the scene.

The more comedic roles in the cast were well played by an ensemble that wasn't afraid to push the boundaries of Shakespeare even when performing in an environment you could consider sacred. There were humorous accents (including one character who slurred his speech so badly that he couldn't be understood -- a gag which drew the biggest laughs of the night), great sight gags (like an uncomfortably long kiss), and wonderful wielding of the language.

The whole experience was magnified by the venue itself, of course. It was more than just seeing a Shakespearean play in a setting so close to the original -- it's just a great configuration to present theater in. From my seat, I could watch the audience sitting opposite from me, and see the people pressed right up to the stage (some even leaning on it). The people watching the show became a vital part of the experience. And they were an appreciative lot, giving cheers themselves when urged to by Henry, laughing at all the jokes, and concluding with an enthusiastic ovation.

I can't say strongly enough how exhilarating an experience this was. Anyone who likes theater even a little -- even if not specifically a fan of Shakespeare -- would do themselves a favor to see a play at the Globe at some point. Shakespeare lovers, it probably goes without saying, ought to put it officially on their "bucket lists."