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The reconstructed Shakespeare's Globe Theater. Wow it's iconic. As a fan of the bard, I wanted to watch a show at the Globe Theater but the timing of the shows I wanted to catch did not align with the rest of our schedule. Definitely want to check it out next time. I still wanted to pass by the theater to see it from the outside. It is artfully located by the Thames River so it's a nice stroll over. The theater itself it a circular seating with multiple levels with varying costs. It can be affordable if you don't care about the seat, but it can be pretty expensive for the more prime spots. The theater is designed in a way so that every seat has a good view of the play. Admiring from far away, but hoping to come back and attend a play the next time I'm visiting London.
Iconic theater, now restored, well-known for its association with Shakespeare. Was on our must-do list but we could not score tickets for a show. Still stopped by for pics and to soak in the atmosphere. Will plan better next time!
I was hoping to see a show at The Globe, as I have a fondness for open air theater productions of Shakespeare, but wasn't able to make it work so I opted for a tour. We had a fantastic tour guide who brought a ton of charisma and fun to his retelling of the history and stories behind The Globe. There is also a self-guided portion of the tour, with props and set pieces from some of the more modern productions which was very fun to see. Stop in the gift shop for a few souvenirs to cap off the experience.
What a lovely place. A must see if you are into history and/or theater. We purchased a tour and it was fantastic. So much history and so much to see. There is also a museum visit included with your ticket. We had a fantastic time. We highly recommend a visit and tour. Happy theater everyone.
The Globe Theater has always been a bucket list item for me, having acted in several Shakespeare shows in my lifetime and seen countless more. I spent three nights in London and I was gutted that there wasn't a show on while I was there (just missed the opening of Twelfth Night), so I had to settle for the guided tour. I dragged my girlfriend and ten-year-old son along with me. Can't speak for them but I loved every second of it. Our tour guide was Mark who was phenomenal. He had an impressive command of Shakespearean knowledge with a gift for public speaking. I don't know if he acts in any of the productions but I wouldn't be surprised if he does. We got to sit in the top row while actors did a tech rehearsal for Twelfth Night, and the headphones allowed Mark to speak softly so as not to disturb the actors but still allow us to hear. One thing he stressed was the attention to historic detail that went into the Globe's construction, so that if Shakespeare were transported to present day London, it is something he would recognize. The tour ended at the very nice gift shop with all sorts of fun Shakespeare items for sale. All in all it was a great experience, and I hope to make it back someday to actually see a show.
Can't recommend visiting and seeing a show enough! One of the best London experiences! We got tickets to Pinocchio over Christmas and really enjoyed the show despite it being outside. So glad hubs got tickets where you could sit as the seats in front of the stage have people standing which is cool but for a tourist who walked 30,000 steps earlier in the day sitting was most appreciated. Our seats had direct view of the stage so we saw everything perfectly! We grabbed dinner at the Swan which is part of the Theatre building and the food was great and it made it easy to access our seats as we just walked through an interior door in the restaurant and we were in the theatre! The play was awesome! Sitting with the crowd under the nighttime stars was awesome! It's really a must do while in London!
What a lovely venue - the "winter" theater (not sure that's the official name) was intimate and warm for this time of year. I was relieved it wasn't going to be outdoors! We sat in a row without seat backs and will aim to have a backed seat next time. The play was fabulous - and Midsummer Night's Dream is not one of my favorites. The staff were courteous and helpful. And I got to walk Millennium Bridge after with a glorious view of St Paul's and Tower Bridge lit up at night. Convenient to the tube. So glad to have made this stop on our London trip
Going to the globe theatre was a dream come true for this Shakespeare theatre nerd. My husband arranged a lovely afternoon for us this summer to see the Western themed production of Romeo and Juliet. We sat in the balcony. I could never stand that long. And splurged for seat cushions. There are beverage and snack options. I enjoyed some wine. Afterwards we had afternoon tea at the Swan on property.
What a lovely experience! We loved the actual theatre so much. Candlelight, Midsummer's Night Dream, fully reimagined and we were there for it. The actors weee fantastic, fully captivating, & brilliant! Gift shop was also fabulous with great mementos!
This is not the Globe Theatre of Shakespeare's time. The original Globe Theatre - which staged Shakespeare's plays and where the Bard wrote "Twelfth Night," "King Lear," and several others - opened in 1599 and burned down in 1613. The second Globe was erected in 1614 but was then torn down in 1644 after all theaters were shuttered by Parliament. The current incarnation - referred to as the Globe Theatre by its staff - has been in operation since 1997 and it is a celebrated performing arts venue dedicated to staging the Bard's plays. In a nod to its much older namesake, today's open-air theater has a thatched roof - the only one in the city - that does not cover the central yard. Seating is in the round. Or, for a truly memorable experience, you can choose to stand in the yard just below the stage to watch a performance (as many did in Shakespeare's time).
Theater: an art that survived the birth of cinema, managed to persevere through television and continues to entertain despite Netflix being ubiquitous. What's a better place to watch a place than at a reconstruction of Shakespeare's original theater? The Comedy of Errors is an incredibly entertaining spectacle. Unless one wants to splurge or health condition, most seats in the house are sufficient to see the action. Watching it from one of the side boxes is pretty interesting, they are beautifully decorated and provide a side view of the performance. It's not a perfect view, but still great. Standing downstairs is probably fun for the experience, but might get a bit tiring. A wonderful theater and hard to go wrong with most seats in the house.
We had a great time seeing Romeo and Juliet at the theater. Warning: the seats are wood benches with no backs. If you are disabled, however, they can help accommodate you with a stadium seat. Besides the show, I highly recommend the theater tour we did. Our guide, Mark, was amazing and hilarious! It was great to learn the history of the theater and the shows it puts on and definitely paints Shakespeare in a more human light.
Shakespeare's Globe is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, which was completed in 1997. I visited with my husband on a recent trip to London earlier this month and had a great time. There are a couple of ways to experience the Globe. You can attend a performance (they typically have 1-2 performances per day at a range of rates) or you can tour the theater. The performance times didn't work well with our schedule (such a short trip), but we were able to fit in a tour, which was great. Our tour guide was wonderful. We started the tour inside the attached visitor/admission center, where he provided some context. Then we walked over to the theater itself and sat on each of the three levels to get a sense of the different individuals who attended Shakespeare's plays and how they would have experienced the performances they attended. We learned that the theater was built in 1599, when there was only bridge connecting Bankside and London. People either took barges across the river or - if they didn't have the money for a boat - walked to and across the bridge. We learned how much a performance cost for people sitting in different sections of the theater. We learned that the Globe burned down during a performance of Henry VIII in 1613 (the theater was rebuilt the following year but closed by 1642 and torn down in 1645). The modern recreation you can visit now is close to the original site (you can find the original site just a few steps away) and based on historical drawings and designs. It's as close to Shakespeare's Globe as we can get, and it's an incredible thing to see and experience. If you can fit in a performance, I'm sure it's amazing. But the tour was pretty great, too. I learned a lot about Shakespeare, the Globe, and London. We had a pretty tight schedule due to it being a shorter trip, and a tour of the Globe was a great way to take in such a historic and important site. read more
Even if you're not planning on seeing a show here, do the tour! William Shakespeare's company built The Globe Theater very close to this spot in 1599. This is a replica of Shakespeare's theater which was built in the late 1990s. Originally, the idea was to mostly perform Shakespeare plays during the summer months, demonstrating exactly how those plays might have been seen in Elizabethan/Jacobean London. So, all-male casts, no modern technology, etc. Nowadays they make a lot more concessions with the aim of putting on enjoyable shows, but this is still an outdoor venue with a courtyard "groundlings" area that has no seats. The outer ring is covered and has wooden bench seating, with cushions available to rent. If you're a tourist who has spent the day hoofing it around this great city, you should probably make sure you have a seat. Furthermore, you might consider that a back-row seat would allow you to lean back, which you can't do in the other rows. This is very much a true professional theater experience. It's not just a gimmick; the original artistic director was no less than Sir Mark Rylance so you know you are going to see a high-quality production. However, the expertise on hand regarding the history of William Shakespeare makes for a very informative tour. I've done it multiple times and always loved it. But the production I saw of A Midsummer Night's Dream was lots of fun, easy to recommend. They involve the audience a lot, even bringing people on stage during actual scenes. Anyone who considers themselves a theater nerd owes themselves a visit. I strongly recommend the tour, and if you can make it to an actual show, you won't regret it. There are concession stands with a decent selection of snacks and drinks, alcoholic and otherwise. And there's a very large gift shop which was closed at the end of the show I went to, sadly. I would have bought something. But that's normal. NOTE: a second stage has been added to this complex, the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. It's a traditional indoor theater. If you're booking tickets, you might want to make sure you know which stage it's on, as that greatly impacts the experience. ANOTHER NOTE: I spoke to some people who believed the final scene of the movie Hamnet was filmed here. Although that might sound right, it is incorrect. That sequence was all done at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire. read more
16 days ago
The reconstructed Shakespeare's Globe Theater. Wow it's iconic. As a fan of the bard, I wanted to watch a show at the Globe Theater but the timing of the shows I wanted to catch did not align with the rest of our schedule. Definitely want to check it out next time. I still wanted to pass by the theater to see it from the outside. It is artfully located by the Thames River so it's a nice stroll over. The theater itself it a circular seating with multiple levels with varying costs. It can be affordable if you don't care about the seat, but it can be pretty expensive for the more prime spots. The theater is designed in a way so that every seat has a good view of the play. Admiring from far away, but hoping to come back and attend a play the next time I'm visiting London. read more
Iconic theater, now restored, well-known for its association with Shakespeare. Was on our must-do list but we could not score tickets for a show. Still stopped by for pics and to soak in the atmosphere. Will plan better next time! read more
I was hoping to see a show at The Globe, as I have a fondness for open air theater productions of Shakespeare, but wasn't able to make it work so I opted for a tour. We had a fantastic tour guide who brought a ton of charisma and fun to his retelling of the history and stories behind The Globe. There is also a self-guided portion of the tour, with props and set pieces from some of the more modern productions which was very fun to see. Stop in the gift shop for a few souvenirs to cap off the experience. read more
What a lovely place. A must see if you are into history and/or theater. We purchased a tour and it was fantastic. So much history and so much to see. There is also a museum visit included with your ticket. We had a fantastic time. We highly recommend a visit and tour. Happy theater everyone. read more
3 months ago
The Globe Theater has always been a bucket list item for me, having acted in several Shakespeare shows in my lifetime and seen countless more. I spent three nights in London and I was gutted that there wasn't a show on while I was there (just missed the opening of Twelfth Night), so I had to settle for the guided tour. I dragged my girlfriend and ten-year-old son along with me. Can't speak for them but I loved every second of it. Our tour guide was Mark who was phenomenal. He had an impressive command of Shakespearean knowledge with a gift for public speaking. I don't know if he acts in any of the productions but I wouldn't be surprised if he does. We got to sit in the top row while actors did a tech rehearsal for Twelfth Night, and the headphones allowed Mark to speak softly so as not to disturb the actors but still allow us to hear. One thing he stressed was the attention to historic detail that went into the Globe's construction, so that if Shakespeare were transported to present day London, it is something he would recognize. The tour ended at the very nice gift shop with all sorts of fun Shakespeare items for sale. All in all it was a great experience, and I hope to make it back someday to actually see a show. read more
Can't recommend visiting and seeing a show enough! One of the best London experiences! We got tickets to Pinocchio over Christmas and really enjoyed the show despite it being outside. So glad hubs got tickets where you could sit as the seats in front of the stage have people standing which is cool but for a tourist who walked 30,000 steps earlier in the day sitting was most appreciated. Our seats had direct view of the stage so we saw everything perfectly! We grabbed dinner at the Swan which is part of the Theatre building and the food was great and it made it easy to access our seats as we just walked through an interior door in the restaurant and we were in the theatre! The play was awesome! Sitting with the crowd under the nighttime stars was awesome! It's really a must do while in London! read more
10 months ago
What a lovely venue - the "winter" theater (not sure that's the official name) was intimate and warm for this time of year. I was relieved it wasn't going to be outdoors! We sat in a row without seat backs and will aim to have a backed seat next time. The play was fabulous - and Midsummer Night's Dream is not one of my favorites. The staff were courteous and helpful. And I got to walk Millennium Bridge after with a glorious view of St Paul's and Tower Bridge lit up at night. Convenient to the tube. So glad to have made this stop on our London trip read more
11 months ago
Going to the globe theatre was a dream come true for this Shakespeare theatre nerd. My husband arranged a lovely afternoon for us this summer to see the Western themed production of Romeo and Juliet. We sat in the balcony. I could never stand that long. And splurged for seat cushions. There are beverage and snack options. I enjoyed some wine. Afterwards we had afternoon tea at the Swan on property. read more
2 months ago
10 months ago
What a lovely experience! We loved the actual theatre so much. Candlelight, Midsummer's Night Dream, fully reimagined and we were there for it. The actors weee fantastic, fully captivating, & brilliant! Gift shop was also fabulous with great mementos! read more
This is not the Globe Theatre of Shakespeare's time. The original Globe Theatre - which staged Shakespeare's plays and where the Bard wrote "Twelfth Night," "King Lear," and several others - opened in 1599 and burned down in 1613. The second Globe was erected in 1614 but was then torn down in 1644 after all theaters were shuttered by Parliament. The current incarnation - referred to as the Globe Theatre by its staff - has been in operation since 1997 and it is a celebrated performing arts venue dedicated to staging the Bard's plays. In a nod to its much older namesake, today's open-air theater has a thatched roof - the only one in the city - that does not cover the central yard. Seating is in the round. Or, for a truly memorable experience, you can choose to stand in the yard just below the stage to watch a performance (as many did in Shakespeare's time). read more
Theater: an art that survived the birth of cinema, managed to persevere through television and continues to entertain despite Netflix being ubiquitous. What's a better place to watch a place than at a reconstruction of Shakespeare's original theater? The Comedy of Errors is an incredibly entertaining spectacle. Unless one wants to splurge or health condition, most seats in the house are sufficient to see the action. Watching it from one of the side boxes is pretty interesting, they are beautifully decorated and provide a side view of the performance. It's not a perfect view, but still great. Standing downstairs is probably fun for the experience, but might get a bit tiring. A wonderful theater and hard to go wrong with most seats in the house. read more
1 year ago
We had a great time seeing Romeo and Juliet at the theater. Warning: the seats are wood benches with no backs. If you are disabled, however, they can help accommodate you with a stadium seat. Besides the show, I highly recommend the theater tour we did. Our guide, Mark, was amazing and hilarious! It was great to learn the history of the theater and the shows it puts on and definitely paints Shakespeare in a more human light. read more
Friends...Romans... Countrymen... Lend me your ears. It's the Globe Theater. How can you give it less than 5 Star!!! Only being in London for less than 36 hours i knew this was going to be one place I needed to see with my own eyes!!! I originally booked a play at night for my wife and I, not knowing after October the plays are shifted to the Wanamaker theater next door :( When we arrived to see "All's Well That End's Well" and realized we weren't being seated in the Globe I inquired and the gentleman at the door apologized and explained to me when they use the globe... He did recommend doing the tour they open as early as 9:00 with the first tour starring at 9:30. So I did. I booked the private tour while waiting for the start of the play. The next morning, I showed up at 8:45, knowing I didn't have much time before I needed to be back on the train heading to Gatwick Airport. I wanted to be there early and prepared. 9:00, and they opened the doors and checked my ticket and sat me in a staging area while they waited for others to arrive... Too my luck, there were no others :) which gave me a private tour!!! So off we went punctual at 9:30 and as we walked through the doors I was overwhelmed with joy as I felt like I was trusted into a period of time of Shakespeare!!! I can't explain the feelings I felt walking in, but I will say it was an awesome experience!! I couldn't go on stage, but that's OK. Deadpool made it, which has been added, and you will see in my pictures, LOL. My two guides were amazing and wouldn't have wanted anyone else!!! My tour finally ended and I had to go but thanks to everyone who made my visit one for the ages!!! read more
1 year ago
I paid $200 for 2 tickets. The gentleman in front of me smelled horribly of body odor. I asked a floor staff person if it would be possible to move to a like section across the way, since I noticed empty seats during the first act. She was very sympathetic and went and found the house manager for me. I explained the situation to her and she called me a liar. She told me she cant authorize a move because technically someone 'owned' the seat for the show. I clarified that I noticed it was empty for the entire first Act. She said no. I asked if she had any lotion or sanitizer to put under my nose to counter the smell, she told me she couldnt give anything to any patrons because of allergic reactions. She told me if its so bad she can authorize me to stand. I asked why I have to stand, why cant the guy who is improperly 'dressed' for the theatre be asked to stand. She told me she wasnt asking a paying patron to move based on a possible body odor that she couldnt confirm was true. The guy smelled so bad that I had to take a shower back at the hotel. So many people left after the first act, there were probably 50 more seats available. People walked out during the performance. I've seen plenty of shows and nothing that I've paid $200 to see comes close to this misery. The horrible wooden set that made us getting 45 minutes delayed seating so they could 'finish setting up' completely blocked the beauty of the theater. If you really want to see the Globe, buy the 10€ ticket, take a quick look around and get out before you waste 2 hours of your life with a rude house manager and horrible sets. read more
A definite must visit for any Shakespeare fan! We bought tour tickets online beforehand-FYI the last tour starts at 12 noon. Just so you know that that this theater is a replica of the original but the details are pretty accurate and it sits along the River Thames. Our docent is an actor with the theater and quoted lines from the plays as he took us along. We got to go inside and sit in the seats and watch the actors rehearse for that evening's performance. He was great-we learned a lot about the building and the way Shakespeare wrote his plays to the different audiences. Of course the tour ended in a gift shop but it had lots of cool merch. I didn't mind spending £ here because it helps the theater and the troupe. Well worth it! read more
2 years ago
We decided to spend an evening here based on a local recommendation, and we are so glad we did! Traveling on a budget, we chose the standing section, which cost just over £12 after fees. Despite the aching legs, it was an incredibly fun experience, and we weren't alone--everyone, even those younger than us, felt the strain. A highlight of the evening was when it started to rain. Instead of ending, the show went on, with everyone simply putting on their hoods or taking out umbrellas. The actors and actresses were wonderful and performed beautifully despite the weather. Since it's an outdoor theater, be sure to dress accordingly. I highly recommend this place! Where better to see an affordable Shakespearean play than in the UK? read more
6 months ago
Shakespeare's open air theater, the Globe is on the Thames. Performances are reasonable & we don't have to be Groundlings. This month "As You Like It" is being performed during the week, weekends and matinees, reasonably priced seats were available. This performance was considered relaxed. Near performers and groundlings moved around the theater. This is the third globe theater in this location. The first opened in 1599 & was built by the Lord Chamberlain's Men, the company that William Shakespeare wrote for and part-owned. It is believed that the 1st play Shakespeare wrote for the original Globe was Julius Caesar in spring 1599. Our seats were center 4th row, we sat 6 crowded on a bench. We paid extra to sit on cushions, but there were no backs. Since we were sitting still outdoors I dressed a little warmer, the air didn't move & I couldn't stay awake. The actors moved around the theater, without microphones & with their accents were difficult to understand. The gift shop was extensive & I found the perfect gift for a Shakespeare lover. There was a quiet area, man stocked restrooms, a bar and cafe. read more
3 years ago
Getting to the tour was little tricky. It's located all the way the to the far right! Not at the box office. There a different location. The tour was really good and it's worth it. I learned a lot about the Globe. My mother wanted to see a play but we had other things on our list to see. When I come back to London I will definitely add this to my lists for a play. They are in need of funding since COVID. In a few years they will be close to repair the roof. read more
1 year ago
Absolutely fantastic remake of traditional history and a wonderful place to experience theatre. read more
Shakespeare...so many movies and plays in the modern times can be tied back to him for inspiration. I did not get to watch an open-air play which my friends have said is awesome but got a chance to do a tour of the theater which was super interesting. Beautiful location right by the river. read more
2 years ago
The site is an authentic reproduction of the previous iterations. Meticulous in every detail, except for modern safety features. The young woman who gave us the tour was incredibly well informed! read more
7 months ago
I was never THAT into Shakespeare but growing up with learning about Shakespeare in school, I had to visit the Globe Theatre when in London. I had pre-purchased tickets online and made an 11AM appointment for the tour. We had arrived 20 minutes early (from Borough Market). Had asked for toilet but they said we could join the 1045AM tour as there is openings and we were there already. It is quite interesting learning about the origination of the theater, layout, past history of how it was used, how its still currently used, etc. Don't want to go into much detail as its something you should experience yourself ! Definitely worth the visit once ! read more
2 years ago
The performance is really the "thing" here. We saw "Much To Do About Nothing" and it was fabulous. Actors were talented and amazing. The down side and the the backless, bench seats. While I fully appreciate we want authenticity of the time after the first 75 min we were in legit pain. It recommend staying for the first act and then leaving if you aren't 25 or younger. If reserving seats do so in the back rows where the wall will be your support. read more
4 years ago
Finally got the chance to visit the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre! This is one of the most iconic theatre experiences l in London and was glad to get the opportunity to watch Much Ado About Nothing. We got the £5 standing seats which means that you are essentially standing for the length of the play which can be up to 3 hours, in our case. Despite our feet and backs killing us, the play was actually fantastic. Even for someone who is not super into Shakespeare it was an absolutely fantastic experience watching the actors, who may be the best in London theatre, perform extremely animatedly without mics which was incredible impressive. In addition, I love that the audience was very into the play and would interact with the actors. However, as my friend put it, if you're not into Shakespeare, it's like watching a good foreign film. My one complaint was that the staff was extremely strict. Even if we placed our backpacks in the wrong place they would come up to us in the middle of the play to tell us off about it. Kind of rubbed us in the wrong way because it would disturb us from the watching experience. Overall, would highly recommend watching any play from the Globe. The one thing is that perhaps maybe next time shell out a bit more for seats because your feet will get tired by the end of the play. Or stand as this was how Shakespeare's plays were often consumed for the most "authentic" experience. Nonetheless, absolutely fantastic actors and stage getup and would highly recommend whether you are a Shakespeare fan or not. read more
9 months ago
Absolutely fantastic. The only minor complaint is the seats. Even with the cushion, by the end we were glad to stand up. The play was great. A somewhat modern spin on the classic Macbeth. The stewards are extremely helpful. Overall a must do while in London read more
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More info about Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
21 New Globe Walk
Bankside SE1 9DT
United Kingdom
South Bank, Southwark
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020 7902 1400
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http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/
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