Learn about Shakespeare’s plays at the Globe Theatre
Discover everything there is to know about how shows were produced in Shakespeare's time; from writing and rehearsals, to music and the performances on immersive Shakespeare’s Globe guided tours.
The Globe Theatre is a faithful reconstruction of the open-air playhouse in which William Shakespeare worked. Your dedicated guide will lead you on a fascinating tour of the auditorium where you will learn more about the original 1599 Playhouse, the Globe reconstruction process in the 1990s, and the London that Shakespeare would have known in the Tudor era.
History of the Globe Theatre
Opened in 1599 and originally located in London’s Bankside, The Globe presented many of Shakespeare's greatest plays over 14 years: from Hamlet, to Othello, King Lear and Macbeth, they were all first performed within the theatre walls.
Disaster struck the Globe in 1613 during a performance Henry VIII when some wadding from a stage canon ignited the thatched roof and destroyed the entire structure in less than two hours. Thankfully, no one was harmed when the theatre burnt down. However, there was a close call when a man’s breeches caught fire, luckily, a bystander put the flames out with his bottle of beer!
The company quickly built a second Globe Theatre; this time with a tiled roof and more decorations (since they could now afford them), and the place remained the home of Shakespeare's company until the closure of all the theatres in 1642 by the England's Puritan administration. No longer in use, the theatre was demolished in 1644.
The new Shakespeare’s Globe:
While visiting London, American actor and director Sam Wanamake was shocked to find only a faded plaque on a wall to commemorate one of the most influential sites in English theatre. A crazy idea took hold and he spent the last 23 years of his life campaigning, fundraising and overseeing the reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in every detail. His vision and determination led to the construction of a perfect replica of Shakespeare's Globe that celebrates the history of English theatre.
Please note that information sheets and audio tours are available in multiple languages:
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English
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French
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German
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Spanish
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Italian
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Japanese
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Simplified Chinese
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Russian