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THE GLOBE THEATRE

The Globe was owned by actors who were also shareholders in the Lord Chamberlain's Men. Two of the six Globe shareholders, Richard and Cuthbert Burbage, owned double shares of the whole, or 25% each; the other four men, owned a single share, or 12.5% each.

FEATURES

- Globe's numbers

The Globe's actual dimensions are unknown, but its shape and size can be approximated. Probably it was a three-storey, open-air amphitheatre approximately 100 feet (30 m) in diameter that could house between 2,000 and 3,000 spectators. The stage measured approximately 43 feet (13.1 m) in width, 27 or 28 feet (8.2 m) in depth and was raised about 5 feet (1.5 m) off the ground.

- Infos about the Globe

There was no light, for this reason, all performances at the Globe took place, weather permitting, during the day, or during the night, using torches. Because most of the Globe and all of its stage was open air, acoustics were poor and the actors were compelled by circumstances to shout. At the base of the stage, there was an area called the pit, where, for a penny (the price for the basic ticket), people would stand to watch the performance. A rectangle stage platform, (called 'apron '), thrust out into the middle of the central pit. On this stage, there was a trap door for use by performers to enter from the "cellarage". While the galleries of the two-penny section may have been partially covered, the stage and the pit were open air. Large columns on either side of the stage supported a roof over the rear portion of the stage. The ceiling under this roof was called the "heavens" because of it was painted with clouds and the sky.  A trap door in the heavens enabled performers to descend using some form of rope and harness. The balcony housed the musicians and could also be used for scenes requiring an upper space, such as the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet.

- Globe Theatre's end

The original structure of the Globe Theatre stood until 29 June, 1613, when its thatched roof was set ablaze by a cannon fired in a performance of Henry VIII and the Globe burned to the ground.

The Globe was reconstructed in 1614. In 1642, after Shakespeare's death, Puritans closed down all the country's theaters. Two years later, Cromwell's round heads tore down the Globe, leveled the site and constructed tenement housing upon it.