As I entered The Globe Theatre, I barely looked around. It was a sleepy day for me, and I wasn’t really prepared to see the day’s show. I only took in my surroundings once the chatter in the crowd picked up. Our group had ground floor seats, stage left. A large portion of our group, however, chose to stand instead. This large standing crowd was diverse and energetic, and following their gazes led me to inspect my surroundings closely. The stage was a thrust, with these ornate columns I overheard were full trees at their core. The whole building was made of this nice, sweet-smelling wood, and the roof, thatch. The Globe is a recreation of the original, but I wouldn’t have noticed its aged style if the anachronistic details weren’t pointed out to me. It didn’t feel out of place in this age.
The large crowd that directed my gaze looked different than it would have in Shakespeare’s time. That, I think, is the main difference between what attending The Globe then versus now would be. In the past, the fashions would be different, the language slightly different, the diversity of a different character, and the hygiene, far lower. But when the crowd shuffled out after a show? A time capsule, cast into the present through care taken by those who do.
The show began. It was Romeo and Juliet (but Western, like cowboys). I have read and studied this play, as well as seen countless reinterpretations of the plot in other forms of media, but I had never seen it performed on stage. Now, I have. And it makes so, so much more sense when performed by actors who really know the text. Even with a low-tech setup and actors shouting away from me, I could understand the words spoken with clarity. The play was hilarious, terrifying, and sad. Loud gunshots on stage kept me from nodding off, and crowd interactions kept me engaged. I haven’t heard of Shakespeare being staged like this back home in the Ozarks, and that’s a real shame. Why not? We need more Shakespeare in the park, stuff that keeps things low-tech and high-energy, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Then, maybe, students would read his work and not feel so put off, so academically excluded.
That’s all. As I said, it was a really sleepy day when we saw this show. I am in the travel slump right now, near the midpoint of the trip. I hope the coming week sees me find a new energy, enough to push forward and make the most of my 2 remaining weeks in London.
Theatre in London U of A 