THE GLOBE THEATRE

1.   Read the text and ask the teacher the words you don’t understand.

The Globe, built in 1599 on the south bank of the River Thames, like other Elizabethan theatres, was made of wood and there weren’t any curtains; it was circular with an open roof. It had space for 2,000 people, although sometimes more than 3,000 came. You could stand in the space in front of the stage for just a penny or you could pay more to sit in the balconies above. So, people from different social classes came to watch plays. There wasn’t any lighting, so performances were in the afternoon. As there were no pauses between acts, a performance usually lasted about 2 hours. There was little scenery, but actors wore rich costumes. Costumes were always Elizabethan, never historical, although the setting of the play was ancient Rome. Boys played women roles, because they weren’t allowed to act.

The flag meant which type of play was being performed ­black for tragedy, white for comedy, and red for history.

People could drink, eat, buy food and throw vegetables to the actors if they didn’t like the play.

           

2.   Answer the questions below in a piece of paper:

a)    When was the Globe built? Where? …………………………..……………………..

b)    Name three characteristics of it: …..……………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

c)    How much did you have to pay if you wanted to stay in front of the stage? ......

d)    Could everyone go to watch plays? .......................

e)    Could the plays be performed at any time of the day? ……………………….…

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

f)    What did the flag mean?  ……………………………………………………………….

g)  How long was a normal play?          j)  Actors wore...... costumes

     I.    1 hour                                                  I.    poor

     II.   2 hours                                                II.   rich

     III.  3 hours                                                III.  without

h) Which was the capacity?                        k)  Women rolls were played by...

     I.   10000                                                    I.    girls

     II.   2000                                                    II.   boys

     III.  4000                                                   III.  men

i) Costumes were...                                     l)  People could eat inside the theatre

     I.    different                                             I.    sometimes

     II.   always Roman                                      II.   yes

     III.  always Elizabethan                             III.  no

3. Read the definitions of the parts of the Globe Theatre and match them with the picture in your notebook. Some of them are already given.

……Tiring house: dressing and storage rooms.

……Huts: part located above the musicians gallery where the sound effects such as thunder were produced. They also had a pulley system for lowering apparitions or objects supposed to appear in midair.

……Pit: people paid £1 to stand here and watch the performance, rain or shine. Those people were called “groundlings”.

……Trap door: door built into the main stage from where actors (ghosts, witches) could rise or descend through it.

……Upper stage/”Tarras”: another acting area used for most bedroom and balcony scenes which has two window-balconies at each side.

……Flag: signified which type of play was being performed.

……Inner stage: located at the back of the main stage where there was a curtained recess that might be used for interior scenes.

……Main stage: where the main action of the play took place, especially outdoor scenes. 

……Galleries: three covered seating sections that cost £2.

……Music gallery: narrow gallery in the 3^rd level for musicians that could also be used as an acting area.