Alrighty, the second Globe go around wasn’t quite like the first. When we saw A Midsummers Night’s Dream I was captivated by the show, obsessed with the space, and overall had an amazing experience. But, Comedy of Errors didn’t do it for me like Midsummer did.
Going into the show today I was super pumped because of how amazing seeing Midsummer was. I was planning on standing again but found out we had better seats and decided to try them out. The view was a lot better than previously, so I stayed sitting. At first, it was pleasant and I was enjoying the show, it felt like a theatre kid’s version of an afternoon sports game. But suddenly, the sun started creeping towards my row and I was completely engulfed. At first, it was fine, I love being outdoors and catching some rays, but it started getting really uncomfortable and it made the rest of the show drag on as I kept shifting in my seat to try not to burn. I got a little bit of heat exhaustion by the end of the play. I really regret not getting up to stand in the shade.
But after my experience, I compared myself to the people who watched Shakespeare’s shows in those same seats hundreds of years ago and realized I have it pretty easy. Even though I was uncomfortable, I had clean water, a hat to shade my face, and a hotel bed to go sit in after. Those who came to watch Shakespeare in the 16th/17th century probably lived in a constant state of heat exhaustion, but toughed it out for the same reasons I did; a love for theatre.
Overall, the play wasn’t my favorite. It was easier to understand on stage over reading it, but I still was a little confused about who was who and what the point of what was happening was. I just think The Comedy of Errors isn’t my style of comedy, which I know is completely subjective. I think if I was standing I would have been able to pay better attention and maybe have enjoyed the show more because A. It would have been more immersive and B. I wouldn’t have been distracted by the heat. But, I still really enjoyed watching the acting. It was a pretty traditional take on the show, but I liked how they involved the audience with moments like the boats and pointing people out. The actors were also very in the moment and their reactions to everything felt sincere. It felt a lot like I was at the Globe in the 16th century watching Shakespeare’s players put on a performance. I’m grateful for the experience and hope everything I’ve seen at The Globe will influence my work in the future.
Theatre in London U of A 