The Globe: The "Wooden O"ÃÂ Playhouses were places of impure art, and in some eyes they were not even places of legitimate entertainment in the 1500's (Gurr 7). Queen Elizabeth I- Queen of England, who reigned for 45 years from 1558 to 1603, encouraged artists and the arts in the late 1500's and early 1600's (Brandonberg 16). The English Renaissance is frequently called the Elizabethan period. We will look at one playhouse in particular during this period and that is The Globe, which is famous for opening the largest number of Shakespeare's plays among others. The players (actors), the companies, the physical, the staging and the audience all play a role in making The Globe one of the most successful Elizabethan playhouses.
The Players and the Companies Players were a royal pleasure, and to please royalty was a major aim of the company. A stature set forth in 1572 warranted the players to their quality.
A reconstruction of the Globe Theatre in London, o...
The pit and upper levels of the reconstruction of ...
English: Tudor actors' memorial, located in St Leo...The companies that existed were independent commercial organizations not doing what pleasure-bent lords or royalty command but going or doing what brought most money or best audiences. When companies became independent in 1572 their goal changed from pleasing to making money. For the players of London, the formation of independent companies meant living in one place instead of traveling and also having a steady income (Gurr 28-29).
The Ownership and Construction of the Globe The Globe was built in 1599 by Cuthbert Burbage, the brother of the Shakespearean actor Richard Burbage. Curthbert owned another theatre called "The Theatre"ÃÂ but he didn't own the land. He owned the structure and materials. The land was leased by his father and they were unable to negotiate a renewal of the lease in 1597. When the landowner was away on a vacation, Burbage deconstructed The Theatre and...