Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London

For my independent project I hope to connect with Londoners and discuss their experiences with different theatres in London. I hope to connect with directors, actors, students, professors, and anyone walking the streets near the theatres willing to talk about them. One of the theatres I plan to study is the Globe, the current building known as Shakespeare’s Globe theatre is found in Bankside, Southwark London right next to the river Thames. It is a replica of the original Elizabethan architecture in which the original theatre was built in 1599 by Shakespeare’s playing company so that they could put on shows in the open air, it has since been rebuilt and the modern replica that is currently open to the public premiered in 1997. The current offerings at this theatre before the new year are Pericles and Cymbeline. When we arrive in London in January we will have the opportunity to see the winter season with The Winters Tale and The Tempest. For Shakespeare’s 400 anniversary there will be a last showing of Hamlet for four final performances on April 23 and 24, as well as a short films of all of Shakespeare’s plays on 37 screens on the bank of the river Thames. In addition to the shows playing while we are in London in the Spring ’16 there will also be tours of the globe theatre and the exhibition hall, which offers information on Shakespeare’s life, where he lived, the theatre he wrote for and the costumes that were used and recreated for posterity. This is an amazing venue and I cannot wait to be able to watch a show in such a historic place, albeit a tad modernized.