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A Day at the Theatre in 1600 Steve Wood TCCC Across the Thames A view of London Bridge From around 1600 To get to the theatre district in Shakespeare’s day, most residents of London had to travel south across the Thames River. The river could be crossed via London Bridge, but most crossed it via small boats, called wherry boats (a sort of water taxi). The Thames, 1616 Southwark Crossing the Thames would bring someone to Southwark, where a number of theaters were close to the river. Along with the theaters, this area had many taverns and other attractions such as bearbaiting dens, rat-catching dog pens, pits for cock fights, and, of course, brothels. In short, it was like Las Vegas. Choosing a Play Generally, advertising was forbidden, so most theaters indicated a play by flying a flag. The color of the flag told a potential audience the type of play: white for comedy, black for tragedy, and red for history. Plays ran in the late afternoon, six days a week. Admission The cheapest ticket in the theater cost a penny. For that penny, a spectator got to stand in the pit (actually the cock-pit), the packed-dirt area in front of and around the stage. These members of the audience were called the Groundlings. They were often very rowdy and were known for pulling bad actors right off the stage. More money would find you an actual seat. Refreshments Vendors sold water and beer; given the state of Elizabethan hygiene, beer was always the safer choice. For snacks, vendors sold apples and oranges, gingerbread, and various types of nuts. The most popular snack, the Elizabethan equivalent of popcorn, were toasted hazelnuts. Restrooms There were no restrooms in an Elizabethan theatre, despite the fact that the Globe Theater, for example, might have held as many as 2000 people in the audience. There were no intermissions. Plays ran straight through, even though many of them were over three hours long. Actors Elizabethan acting companies were all male. Female parts were played by young men whose voice had not changed. This is probably the reason that there are not many middle-aged women characters in Shakepeare’s play. Costumes Elizabethan costumes were very elaborate and beautiful, but they were almost always contemporary. In other words, costumes were not made to match the setting of the play; instead, they were the current fashions of the day. Costumes The only exception to this were plays about ancient Greece or Rome, where togas and robes were used. Often, the wardrobe of an acting company was one of its most valuable assets. Actors were often fined for wearing the companies costumes out on the street. Props Acting companies did not use many props, but those used were often central to the plot. The real Philip Henslowe (Shakespeare’s manager in Shakespeare in Love) gave an inventory in his diary in 1598. Props “The inventory of all the properties for my Lord Admiral's Men, the 10 of March 1598 Item, i rock, i cage, i tomb, i Hell mouth... i bedstead. Item, viii lances, i pair of stairs for Phaethon. Item, i globe, & i golden sceptre; iii clubs Item, i golden fleece, ii racquets, i bay tree. Item, i lion's skin, i bear's skin; Phaethon's limbs, & Phaethon's chariot, & Argus's head. Item, Iris's head, & rainbow; i little altar. . . i ghost's gown; i crown with a sun.” Swords One important set of props were the swords used in fight scenes. Often when you read one of Shakespeare’s plays, a fight is given in a one line stage direction (“They fight.”). However, in the actual performance that fight might have lasted ten minutes. Fights were especially pleasing for the Groundlings.