Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

          

By: Mikayla Morrison

 Imagine sitting in this theatre watching Othello come to life. On my second day in London, I visited Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Did you know that this was the third theatre to be built? There were actually two previous Globe Theatres that were destroyed.  I never knew that until this trip! Walking in the footsteps of a great playwright and actors was amazing. Although, I expected the theatre to be larger than it was, the layout and structure made it seem bigger.  The building, stage, and stands were made completely of wood, including the nails. An interesting thing about the top of the theatre is that it’s a thatched roof.  In London, thatched roofs are illegal because it’s such a fire hazard.  The tour guide explained that a large portion of London was destroyed because the houses had this type of roof.  But, don’t worry, they talked with the city and got permission to add it. I'm glad they used this type of roof because it adds to the overall authentic structure of the theatre.

Outside of the Globe

             After the tour of the stage, I had a chance to look around a neat exhibition being held in the visitor center.  There were numerous costumes displayed that were worn in many different plays (how cool!!).  I have sewn garments a time or two in my life, but nothing to this extent.  The details on the dresses were so intricate! How many hours did it take the designers to complete these costumes? I wish I would have asked.

            As I moved through the displays, I walked down stairs with my group to another room where they were having a costume demonstration. The workers asked for a volunteer with narrow shoulders.  Everyone in the group looked around and I slowly raised my hand (hopefully my small frame would work in my favor today).  Guess what? I was chosen! I was going to be dressed as an Elizabethan woman.  My fingers were crossed that everything would fit, especially when it was time to put on the jacket.

           

The white dress is considered the underwear.  Hygiene was not as important back then as it is now.  Women and men wore this garment to protect their clothing from their bodies because it was much easier to wash than the outer clothes.  That seems a little backwards.  I also had the chance to wear a corset.  Luckily, they didn't cinch it too tight.

Women during the Elizabethan era celebrated having larger hips.  To do this, they tied padding around their waists to simulate hips and layered their skirts over it. The jacket was difficult to put on.  My arms had to be extended straight back while they put on the jacket for me. I was relieved when I was told it fit perfectly.

           

Our group in front of Big Ben

             Traveling to another country was an amazing experience! I have been to other foreign countries before and England did not disappoint.  Experiencing new places has given me a sense of independence and that it’s okay to try new things.  Traveling has taught me to remain calm in scary situations and this will help me in my future career. For example, I was stranded on the subway in London by myself and I didn’t panic!  Because of this trip, I will always have a strong desire to travel to new places. You learn so much about new cultures and begin to appreciate other points of view. It was unbelievable to see how much older the buildings were in England than America.  It shows how many experiences there were to offer. I absolutely loved experiencing the rich history of England. I wish I could make traveling and sightseeing a career! If you ever get a chance to visit this beautiful country, please go without hesitating.  You won’t regret a single minute of it.