I'm So Excited!
 

I just booked tickets for Shakespeares Globe Theatre in London to see a Midsummers Night Dream.<BR>I would love to know if anyone has seen a play there and what kind of experiene it was - I am so looking foreward to this and don't want it to be a dissapointment!<BR><BR>Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

I went there a couple of years ago and saw a traditional Indian dance company perform an adaptation of "King Lear" - very strange, to say the least!<BR><BR>Anyway, it is a very interesting place to see a play. They don't usually use much in the way of sets or props - pretty much as it would have been in Shakespeare's time. Also, there are two types of tickets - seated and standing. If you are in the seats, they rent cushions to sit on and you should take advantage of this as the seats are wooden and pretty hard - the cushions make a real difference!<BR><BR>If you're standing, you'll need to take something waterproof as that part of the theatre is uncovered and umbrellas are not allowed. If you want to see what I mean, look at the scenes at the end of "Shakespeare in Love" - although the film is fictional the theatre used is more or less the same as the Globe.<BR><BR>It will be a brilliant experience and one worth going to (as long as the production is good!)

I haven't seen a play there, but did take the tour and visit the very extensive museum. I think you'll get a lot more out of your play experience if you do the tour and museum first, there's a lot to learn about the buiilding and about Elizabethan theater. Also, that particular play has lots of mixed-identities folderol going on and it might help to read it, or a summary, in advance.

I saw The Merchant of Venice there in 1998. Luckily, the only day when it wasn't drizzling. We had seats rather than the standing tickets and enjoyed the performance very much. The performers entertained the audience prior to the beginning of the play ... a lot of interaction with the standing crowd. I can't imagine that you'll be disappointed at all. It was something I was very excited about, too, and *loved* it. <BR><BR>Have a wonderful time!

My wife and I saw Cymbeline at the Globe last tear. It was excellent! The performers were dressed all in white, and each one played more than one role. Despite this (or maybe because of it!) it was easy to follow and very entertaining. The seats are cramped and a little uncomfortable. Definitely rent the cushions for 1 GBP. Money well spent. Seeing a Shakespeare play at the Globe was definitely a highlight of our trip.

I made 2 visits - once under construction and once for tour and entertainment. An extraordinary transport back in time you may have read it is built very near the original Globe site; the vision of the late Sam Wanamaker an American actor who was sitting on an unfinished "bleacher' surveying the progress during my first visit. Notice the woodwork when you are there. That whole Southwark area is filled w/ early London history- read The Quincunx & oh damn the 2nd has the name of the OTHER great architect who isnt Wren. Have a great time

Saw the Tempest in June 2000 and was one of the highlights of our trip to London.