Ok let’s go. Globe Theater. Not necessarily shaped like a globe, but who am I to judge? Very pretty space! It’s initially very stunning. I will saw the groundling section was a smaller area than what I was expecting. Maybe that’s just because I had never been there before, and wasn’t aware of the dimensions of the groundling area.
It did exceed my expectations. I remember my parents told me about seeing Midsummer at the Globe on their honeymoon to London, but they didn’t have any pictures of the place or the set, and somehow I went my life without looking up images.
I think the area provides really interesting opportunities for set design. The two shows that we saw there, Mother Courage and Her Children, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, had two completely different stages, not just different sets. The building’s architecture is also beautiful. The space at the back of the stage, where we can see beautiful beams and columns, creates a very beautiful and original space. My favorite part of the Globe Theater is not connected to the architecture or the productions that we saw there. The top of the building is open, but the roof slightly angles inwards and in the warmer season is covered with green moss or pollen. On both days we went, little bits of green were floating throughout the building.
As an audience member, I felt very engaged with the performance. Because you are standing and the actors get so close to you, you feel connected to what is happening. Especially in Midsummer, the cast chose to heavily enforce audience interactions. This created a lot of connection between the audience and the performers. I also think the building of the area is built to connect the audience. Because it’s rounded, people on one side of the audience can see the faces of people on the other side.
Overall, super pretty, it’s too bad the original one exploded or something.
Theatre in London U of A 