Elizabethan Theatre Facts

Picture of the old Globe Theatre famous for the first production of plays by William Shakespeare

Elizabethan Theatre Facts

FACTS AB !T T"PES F E#$%ABET&A' # '( ' T&EATE)S A'( P#A"& !SES There *ere three different types of +enues for Elizabethan plays, $nn-yards. pen air Amphitheatres and Playhouses/ The $nn-yards *ere the ori0inal +enues of plays and many *ere con+erted into Playhouses/ e The Amphitheatres *ere 0enerally used durin0 the Summer months and then the Actin0 Troupes mo+ed to the indoor playhouses durin0 the Winter Season/ FACTS AB !T T&E (E1E# P2E'T F E#$%ABET&A' T&EAT)E Facts - The early days of Elizabethan commercial theatre/ Performances held in pri+ate #ondon $nns/ $ne3pensi+e/ &eld indoors or the yard/ Audience capacity up to 455 Facts - Think of a public outdoor structure like the Coliseum or a small football stadium *ith a capacity of bet*een 6455 and 7555 people Facts - A small. pri+ate indoor hall/ pen to anyone *ho *ould pay but more e3pensi+e *ith more select audiences/ Audience capacity up to 455 F E#$%ABET&A' # '( ' T&EATE)S. P#A"& !SES 8 $''-

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pen Air Amphitheaters

$ndoor Playhouses

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Elizabethan Theatre #ocations - $ma0e 2ap

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Elizabethan Theatre Audiences

$nterestin0 Facts and information about Elizabethan Theatre Audiences People in Elizabethan Theatre Audiences Famous Elizabethan Theatres includin0 the Globe Elizabethan Audiences. Plays and Play*ri0hts Actors. Theatre Companies and Troupes Elizabethan Theatre Elizabethan Era $nde3

Elizabethan Theatre Audiences

The Elizabethan Theatre - Elizabethan Theatre Audiences

The Elizabethan Theatre Audiences attracted people from all classes - the !pper Class nobility and the #o*er class commoners/

Elizabethan Theatre Audiences

What a treat the theater *as for the people of Elizabethan #ondon/ &istories. Tra0edies and Comedies *ritten by the 0reatest play*ri0ht of them all - William Shakespeare/ The popularity of the theater reached people from all *alks of life - from )oyalty to the 'obility and the Commoners/ What *as a day out at the Elizabethan theater like for the audiences; Where did they sit; &o* much did it cost; What did they eat; What *ere the amenities like; &o* did illiterate members of the public kno* *hat plays *ere bein0 presented;

#ondon Theatre0oers - The #ondon play 0oers lo+ed the Theatre< $t *as their opportunity to see the 0reat plays and each other< Elizabethan Audience Capacity - the theatres could hold 6455 people and this number e3panded to 7555 *ith the people *ho cro*ded outside the theatres )oyalty - =ueen Elizabeth $ lo+ed *atchin0 plays but theses *ere 0enerally performed in indoor playhouses for her pleasure/ She *ould not ha+e attended the plays performed at the amphitheatres The 'obles - 'obles *ould ha+e paid for the better seats in the #ord:s rooms payin0 4d for the pri+ile0e The Commoners called the Groundlin0s or Stinkards *ould ha+e stood in the theatre pit and paid

6d entrance fee/ They put 6 penny in a bo3 at the theatre entrance - hence the term :Bo3

ffice:

The Bo3

ffice - the prices *ere determined by the comfort of the seats

Fla0s. Crests and 2ottos - Ad+ertisin0 - Fla0s *ere erected on the day of the performance *hich sometimes displayed a picture ad+ertisin0 the ne3t play to be performed/ Colour codin0 *as used to ad+ertise the type of play to be performed - a black fla0 meant a tra0edy . *hite a comedy and red a history/ A crest displayin0 &ercules bearin0 the 0lobe on his shoulders to0ether *ith the motto >Totus mundus a0it histrionem> ? the *hole *orld is a playhouse @ *as displayed abo+e the main entrance of the Globe Theater/ This phrase *as sli0htly re-*orded in the William Shakespeare play As "ou #ike $t - >All the *orldAs a sta0e> *hich *as performed at the Globe Theater/ Special effects *ere also a spectacular addition at the Elizabethan theaters thrillin0 the audiences *ith smoke effects. the firin0 of a real canon. fire*orks ?for dramatic battle scenes@ and spectacular :flyin0: entrances from the ri00in0 in the :hea+ens:/ The Facilities ran0ed from basic to non e3istent<

The Globe Theatre audiences

The Elizabethan 0eneral public ?the Commoners@ referred to as 0roundlin0s *ould pay 6 penny to stand in the :Pit: of the Globe Theater/ The 0entry *ould pay to sit in the 0alleries often usin0 cushions for comfort< )ich nobles could *atch the play from a chair set on the side of the Globe sta0e itself/ Theatre performances *ere held in the afternoon. because. of course. there *as limited artificial li0htin0/ 2en and *omen attended plays. but often the prosperous *omen *ould *ear a mask to dis0uise their identity/ The plays *ere e3tremely popular and attracted +ast audiences to the Elizabethan Theatres/ There *ere no toilet facilities and people relie+ed themsel+es outside/ Se*a0e *as buried in pits or disposed of in the )i+er Thames/ The audiences only dropped durin0 outbreaks of the bubonic pla0ue. *hich *as unfortunately an all too common occurrence durin0 the Elizabethan era/ This happened in 64B7. 6C57 and 6C5D *hen all Elizabethan theatres *ere closed due to the Bubonic Pla0ue ?The Black (eath@/

$nterestin0 Facts and $nformation about the Elizabethan Theatre Audiences

Some interestin0 facts and information about the Elizabethan Theatre and Elizabethan Theatre Audiences

Elizabethan Elizabethan Theatre Audiences

(etails. facts and information about the Elizabethan Theatre Audiences in the Elizabethan Theatre can be accessed +ia the Elizabethan Era Sitemap/

Elizabethan Theatre Audiences

Elizabethan Theatre &istory Famous Elizabethan Theatres includin0 the Globe Elizabethan Audiences #ondon Theatre0oers Globe Audience Capacity )oyalty The 'obles The Commoners. the Groundlin0s or Stinkards The Bo3 ffice - the prices

ther Entertainment at the Globe The Facilities