Most of the theaters are intimate and beautifully designed with great views from almost any spot. A real treat is that for many of them you can get same day half price tickets on performances. We decided to enjoy a play while Robbie was visiting with us this week. He had never seen Phantom Of The Opera before so we went to see it. I have been humming the tunes ever since.
Another theater that Rob wanted to see was the Globe theater. I'm so happy that Rob came to London with the Globe on his "To Do" list because it was not even on my radar. It's a gem!
This Globe Theater is not the same theater from Shakespeare's time but it was constructed using the same tools and methods that would have been used back then. It sits along the banks of the Thames River not far from the spot where the original theater once stood.
During our tour of the theater we learned that there were several options for seating. You could come and stand during the performance and have the best spots in the theater for the least amount of money or you could pay a little more and sit on the wooden benches in the galleries. In Shakespeare's time, when personal hygiene was nearly nonexistent, the crowds that paid a penny to stand and watch the performance were called the "stinking groundlings." It was a little better in the galleries but even the Queen bathed only four times a year, whether she needed to or not.
View of the galleries.
We decided to see the performance of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe at The Globe Theater. Robbie and Bob chose to stand during the performance and be "stinking groundlings" while I chose a nice hard bench and a side view of the stage. Here is how the stage looked from my vantage point.
The production was outstanding!!!
This is Bob and Robbie's view.
If you are ever in London, put this on your "bucket list."
No comments:
Post a Comment