Elizabethan Theatre Facts

Picture of the old Globe Theatre famous for the first production of plays by William Shakespeare

Elizabethan Theatre Facts

FACTS ABOUT TYPES OF ELIZABETHAN LONDON THEATERS AND PLAYHOUSES There were three different types of venues for Elizabethan plays: Inn-yards, Open air Amphitheatres and Playhouses. The Inn-yards were the original venues of plays and many were converted into Playhouses. e The Amphitheatres were generally used during the Summer months and then the Acting Troupes moved to the indoor playhouses during the Winter Season.

FACTS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ELIZABETHAN THEATRE

Inn-yards 

Facts - The early days of Elizabethan commercial theatre. Performances held in private London Inns. Inexpensive. Held indoors or the yard. Audience capacity up to 500

Open Air Amphitheaters

Facts - Think of a public outdoor structure like the Coliseum or a small

football stadium with a capacity of between 1500 and 3000 people

Indoor Playhouses

Facts - A small, private indoor hall. Open to anyone who would pay but more expensive with more select audiences. Audience capacity up to 500

NAMES & LOCATIONS OF ELIZABETHAN LONDON THEATERS, PLAYHOUSES & INN-YARDS

Elizabethan Theatre Locations - Image Map

IMAGE MAPof

SHAKESPEARE'SLONDON

Elizabethan Theatres are shown

on the Map

Instructions for Use

1. Click a red icon2. Obtain info

 

Elizabethan and Jacobean London Theatre LocationsThe map shows the location of the major theatres, inn-yards and playhouses of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods. Click on the red icon of your selected theatre. All known details of each theatre indicated on the map, together with some additional theatres listed below, are described. Each page has a picture relating to the subject of theatres, inn-yards and playhouses to provide additional

insights into each theatre.

Famous Elizabethan & Jacobean London Theatres

Swan Theatre

The Theatre

Newington Butts Theatre

The Curtain Theatre

The Rose Theatre

Gray's Inn Theatre

Middle Temple Inn

Whitehall Theatre

 

The Globe Theater

The Boar's Head Theatre

The Red Bull Theater

The Hope

Blackfriars Theater

The White Hart Inn Theater

The Bell Inn Theater

The Bear Garden

Salisbury Court  

The Cockpit

Whitefriars

The Bull Inn Theater

The Bell Savage Theater

Cross Keys Inn Theater

Paul's Theatre

The George Inn Theatre

The Bull Ring

Facts about Amphitheaters

1576 The Theatre, Finsbury Fields, Shoreditch, London Amphitheater

1576 Newington Butts, Southwark, Surrey Amphitheater

1577 The Curtain, Finsbury Fields, Shoreditch, London Amphitheater

1587 The Rose, Bankside, Surrey Amphitheater

1595 The Swan, Paris Garden, Surrey (See Top Picture) Amphitheater

1599 The Globe, Bankside, Surrey Amphitheater

1600 The Fortune, Golding Lane, Clerkenwell Amphitheater

1600 The Boar's Head, Whitechapel, London Amphitheater

1604 The Red Bull, Clerkenwell Amphitheater

1576 The Bear Garden  Bankside, Surrey Amphitheater

1576 The Bull Ring  Bankside, Surrey Amphitheater

1614 The Hope  Bankside, Surrey Amphitheater

Facts about Playhouses

1576 Paul's, St. Paul's Cathedral precinct, London  Playhouse

1576 The Blackfriars, Blackfriars, London (the first) Playhouse

1596 The Blackfriars, London, (the second)  Playhouse

1616 The Cockpit, Drury Lane, Westminster, London  Playhouse

1629 Salisbury Court, London Playhouse

1576 Gray's Inn Theatre, London Playhouse

1573 Middle Temple Inn Theatre, London Playhouse

1576 Whitehall Theatre, London Playhouse

1606 Whitefriars, London  Playhouse

Facts about London Inn-yards

1576 - 1594 The Bull Inn, , London  Inn-yard

1576 - 1594 The Bell Savage, London  Inn-yard

1576 - 1594 The Cross Keys, London  Inn-yard

1576 - 1594 The Bell, London  Inn-yard

1576 - 1594 The White Hart, London Inn-yard

1576 - 1594 The George Inn Theatre Inn-yard

Facts about the Structure and Design of the Elizabethan amphitheatres

Amphitheatre facts Open arena - the actors would also get wet if it rained!

Size of amphitheatre Up to 100 feet in diameter

Varying Shapes  Octagonal, circular in shape having between 8 and 24 sides

Building materialsTimber, nails, stone (flint), plaster and thatched roofs. Later amphitheatres had tiled roofs

Building Duration 6 months

Overall design

The open air arena, called the 'pit' or the 'yard', had a raised stage at one end and was surrounded by three tiers of roofed galleries with balconies overlooking the back of the stage. The stage projected halfway into the 'pit'

Audience Capacity 1500 plus. Up to 3000 people would flock to the theatre and its grounds

The Grounds of the theatreBustling with people. Stalls selling merchandise and refreshments. Attracted non playgoers to the market

Toilet Facilities None . People relieved themselves outside. Sewage was buried in pits or

disposed of in the River Thames. All theatres closed during outbreaks of the Bubonic Plague - disease would have spread via the rats & fleas

The Entrance to the theaterUsually one main entrance. Some later theatres had external staircases to access the galleries

The 'Box ' Playgoers put 1 penny in a box at the theatre entrance

Access to the Balconies & Galleries

Two sets of stairs, either side if the theater. The first gallery would cost another penny in the box which was held by a collector at the front of the stairs. The second gallery would cost another penny

The 'Box Office'At the start of the play the admission collectors put the boxes in a room backstage - the box office. 

The 'Housekeepers' The owners of the theatre

The interior designDesign was similar but far smaller version (1500 -3000 crowd capacity) than the Coliseum of the Roman period (50,000 crowd capacity) allowing the maximum number if playgoers in the space available

LightingNatural lighting as plays were produced in the afternoon. However there was some artificial lighting mainly intended to provide atmosphere for night scenes

HeatingThere was no heating. Plays were performed in the summer months and transferred to the indoor playhouses during the winter

Stage dimensions Varying from 20 foot wide 15 foot deep to 45 feet to 30 feet

The height of the stage A raised stage - 3 to 5 feet and supported by large pillars or trestles

The floor of the StageMade of wood, sometimes covered with rushes. Trap doors would enable some special effects e.g. smoke

The rear of the StageA roofed house-like structure was at the rear of the stage, supported by two large columns (pillars) 

The 'Herculean' columns or pillars

The 'Herculean' pillars were made of huge, single tree trunks. These were drilled through the centre to eliminate warping of the wood

The 'Heavens' - a roof area The pillars supported a roof called the 'Heavens'

The 'Heavens'The 'Heavens' served to create an area hidden from the audience. This area provided a place for actors to hide. A selection of ropes & rigging would allow for special effects, such as flying or dramatic entries

The stage wall called the 'Frons Scenae' taken from Latin

Behind the pillars was the stage wall. A doorway to the left and right and a curtained central doorway from which the actors made their entrances. Above the door area was a highly decorative screen called the 'Frons Scenae' (taken from the name given by Imperial Rome to the stage walls of their amphitheatres)

The Stage Gallery above the Stage Wall - The ' Lord's rooms'

Immediately above stage wall was the stage gallery that was used by actors (Juliet's balcony) & the rich the nobility -  known as 'Lord's rooms.'

The stage wall called the 'Frons Scenae' taken from Latin

Behind the pillars was the stage wall, covered by a curtain. Above the curtain was a highly decorative screen. The 'Frons Scenae' was the name given by Imperial Rome to the stage walls of their amphitheatres

The Balcony above the Stage Wall - The ' Lord's rooms'

Immediately above stage wall was a balcony that was used either by actors (Juliet's balcony) or the rich the nobility -  known as 'Lord's rooms.'

The 'Lord's rooms'

Considered the best seats in the 'house' despite the poor view of the back of the actors. The audience would have a good view of the Lords. And the Lords were able to hear the actors clearly. The cost was 5 pence & cushioned seats were provided

MusiciansMusic was an extra effect added in the 1600's. The musicians would also reside in the Lords rooms

The 'Gentlemen's rooms'There were additional balconies on the left and right of the 'lord's rooms' which were called the 'Gentlemen's rooms. For rich patrons of the theater - the cost was 4 pence & cushioned seats were provided

The 'Tiring House'

The stage wall contained at least two doors which lead to a leading to  small structure, back stage, called the 'Tiring House'. The stage wall was covered by a curtain. The actors used this area to change their attire

The 'Hut'Above the 'Tiring House' was a small house-like structure called the 'hut' complete with roof. Used as covered storage space for the troupe

Elizabethan advertisingAbove the hut was a small tower with a flag pole. Flags were erected on the day of the performance displaying a picture advertising the next play to be performed. (See the top picture of the Globe)

The 'pit' (also referred to as the 'yard')

The stage projected halfway into the 'pit', also called the 'yard' (if tiled or cobbled) where the commoners (groundlings) paid 1 penny to stand to watch the play. They would have crowded around the 3 sides of the stage. 

Groundlings Commoners who paid 1 penny admission to stand to watch the play

'Stinkards'During the height of the summer the groundlings were also referred to as 'stinkards' for obvious reasons

Access to the GalleriesTwo sets of stairs, either side if the theater. The stairways could also be external to the main structure to give maximum seating space

Seats in the galleries - Three levels  

The seats in each of the three levels of galleries were tiered with three rows of wooden benches, increasing in size towards the back, following the shape of the building. The galleries were covered affording some shelter from the elements. 

Facts about the Swan Theatre in Paris Garden, SurreyThe following picture of the Swan theatre by Johannes de Witt, a Dutch traveller, who visited the Swan is dated between 1596-1598. The picture was accompanied by what is probably the single most important source of our knowledge and facts about the internal layout of the London theatres. It consists of a diary note together with a sketch of the internal layout of the Swan Theatre.The amphitheatres were similar in design, so the picture of the Swan can be used a good guide to the structure and layout of the old Globe and other Elizabethan amphitheatres. For more info click the following link Swan Theatre

Elizabethan Theatre Audiences

Interesting Facts and information about Elizabethan Theatre Audiences People in Elizabethan Theatre Audiences

Famous Elizabethan Theatres including the Globe

Elizabethan Audiences, Plays and Playwrights

Actors, Theatre Companies and Troupes

Elizabethan Theatre Elizabethan Era Index

Elizabethan Theatre Audiences

The Elizabethan Theatre - Elizabethan Theatre AudiencesThe Elizabethan Theatre Audiences attracted people from all classes - the Upper Class nobility and the Lower class commoners.

Elizabethan Theatre AudiencesWhat a treat the theater was for the people of Elizabethan London. Histories, Tragedies and Comedies written by the greatest playwright of them all - William Shakespeare. The popularity of the theater reached people from all walks of life - from Royalty to the Nobility and the Commoners. What was a day out at the Elizabethan theater like for the audiences? Where did they sit? How much did it cost? What did they eat? What were the amenities like? How did illiterate members of the public know what plays were being presented?

London Theatregoers - The London play goers loved the Theatre! It was their opportunity to see the great plays and each other!

Elizabethan Audience Capacity - the theatres could hold 1500 people and this number expanded to 3000 with the people who crowded outside the theatres

Royalty - Queen Elizabeth I loved watching plays but theses were generally performed in indoor playhouses for her pleasure. She would not have attended the plays performed at the amphitheatres

The Nobles - Nobles would have paid for the better seats in the Lord's rooms paying 5d for the privilege

The Commoners called the Groundlings or Stinkards would have stood in the theatre pit and paid 1d entrance fee. They put 1 penny in a box at the theatre entrance - hence the term 'Box Office'

The Box Office - the prices were determined by the comfort of the seats

Flags, Crests and Mottos - Advertising - Flags were erected on the day of the performance which sometimes displayed a picture advertising the next play to be performed. Colour coding was used to advertise the type of play to be performed - a black flag meant a tragedy , white a comedy and red a history. A crest displaying Hercules bearing the globe on his shoulders together with the motto "Totus mundus agit histrionem" ( the whole world is a playhouse ) was displayed above the main entrance of the Globe Theater. This phrase was slightly re-worded in the William Shakespeare play As You Like It - "All the world’s a stage" which was performed at the Globe Theater.

Special effects were also a spectacular addition at the Elizabethan theaters thrilling the audiences with  smoke effects, the firing of a real canon, fireworks (for dramatic battle scenes) and spectacular 'flying' entrances from the rigging in the 'heavens'.

The Facilities ranged from basic to non existent!

The Globe Theatre audiencesThe Elizabethan general public (the Commoners) referred to as groundlings would pay 1 penny to stand in the 'Pit' of the Globe Theater. The gentry would pay to sit in the galleries often using cushions for comfort! Rich nobles could watch the play from a chair set on the side of the Globe stage itself. Theatre performances were held in the afternoon, because, of course, there was limited artificial lighting. Men and women attended plays, but often the prosperous women would wear a mask to disguise their identity. The plays were extremely popular and attracted vast audiences to the Elizabethan Theatres. There were no toilet facilities and people relieved themselves outside. Sewage was buried in pits or disposed of in the River Thames. The audiences only dropped during outbreaks of the bubonic plague, which was unfortunately an all too common occurrence during the Elizabethan era. This happened in 1593, 1603 and 1608 when all Elizabethan theatres were closed due to the Bubonic Plague (The Black Death).

Interesting Facts and Information about the Elizabethan Theatre AudiencesSome interesting facts and information about the Elizabethan Theatre and Elizabethan Theatre Audiences

Elizabethan Elizabethan Theatre AudiencesDetails, facts and information about the Elizabethan Theatre Audiences in the Elizabethan Theatre can be accessed via the Elizabethan Era Sitemap.

Elizabethan Theatre Audiences

Elizabethan Theatre History Famous Elizabethan Theatres including the Globe

Elizabethan Audiences

London Theatregoers

Globe Audience Capacity

Royalty

The Nobles

The Commoners, the Groundlings or Stinkards

The Box Office - the prices

Other Entertainment at the Globe

The Facilities