In November 1623, 400 years ago, Shakespeare’s First Folio was posthumously printed in London, try this month’s quiz on the Bard’s playhouse. As before the correct answer will turn green when it’s clicked upon and expanded to give more information. The incorrect answers will turn red giving the correct explanation.
1. What year did the original Globe Theatre open?
1589
WRONG The Globe was built in 1599 on Maiden Lane (now known as Park Street) in Southwark on the Southside of the Thames.
1599
CORRECT The Globe was built in 1599 on Maiden Lane (now known as Park Street) in Southwark on the Southside of the Thames.
1579
WRONG The Globe was built in 1599 on Maiden Lane (now known as Park Street) in Southwark on the Southside of the Thames.
2. What type of performance did a red flag flown outside signify?
Comedy
WRONG Depending on the genre of play being performed, colour-coded flags were used outside the theatre to let spectators know what type of play they would be seeing. A red flag was flown for a history play, white for a comedy play and black for a tragedy play.
History
CORRECT Depending on the genre of play being performed, colour-coded flags were used outside the theatre to let spectators know what type of play they would be seeing. A red flag was flown for a history play, white for a comedy play and black for a tragedy play.
Tragedy
WRONG Depending on the genre of play being performed, colour-coded flags were used outside the theatre to let spectators know what type of play they would be seeing. A red flag was flown for a history play, white for a comedy play and black for a tragedy play.
3. What was the first play performed at the original Globe Theatre?
Julius Caesar
CORRECT It is thought that the first Shakespeare play performed at the original Globe was Julius Caesar, in 1599. The modern Shakespeare’s Globe opened to the public in 1997, with a production of Henry V.
Henry V
WRONG It is thought that the first Shakespeare play performed at the original Globe was Julius Caesar, in 1599. The modern Shakespeare’s Globe opened to the public in 1997, with a production of Henry V.
Romeo and Juliet
WRONG It is thought that the first Shakespeare play performed at the original Globe was Julius Caesar, in 1599. The modern Shakespeare’s Globe opened to the public in 1997, with a production of Henry V.
4. Where was the wood sourced to build the original Globe Theatre?
An old theatre
CORRECT The timber used to build the Globe Theatre was reused wood from ‘The Theatre’, an earlier theatre owned by the father of one of the Globe’s funders. It was dismantled taken across the Thames and reconstructed in a couple of days.
Queen Elizabeth’s Oak Forest
WRONG The timber used to build the Globe Theatre was reused wood from ‘The Theatre’, an earlier theatre owned by the father of one of the Globe’s funders. It was dismantled taken across the Thames and reconstructed in a couple of days.
Donated from patrons
WRONG The timber used to build the Globe Theatre was reused wood from ‘The Theatre’, an earlier theatre owned by the father of one of the Globe’s funders. It was dismantled taken across the Thames and reconstructed in a couple of days.
5. How many people could fit into the original Globe Theatre?
3,000
CORRECT The Globe was an open-air amphitheatre shaped like a doughnut and had a seating capacity of up to 3,000 spectators.
2,000
WRONG The Globe was an open-air amphitheatre shaped like a doughnut and had a seating capacity of up to 3,000 spectators.
1,000
WRONG The Globe was an open-air amphitheatre shaped like a doughnut and had a seating capacity of up to 3,000 spectators.
6. What was the name given to members of the audience standing in front of the stage?
Peasants
WRONG The cheapest price to watch a performance at the Globewas only 1 penny (about the price of a loaf of bread), which bought you a place amongst the ‘groundlings’ standing in the ‘yard’ around the stage. (There were 240 pennies in £1.) For another penny, you could have a bench seat in the lower galleries which surrounded the yard. Or for a penny or so more, you could sit more comfortably on a cushion.
Groundlings
CORRECT The cheapest price to watch a performance at the Globewas only 1 penny (about the price of a loaf of bread), which bought you a place amongst the ‘groundlings’ standing in the ‘yard’ around the stage. (There were 240 pennies in £1.) For another penny, you could have a bench seat in the lower galleries which surrounded the yard. Or for a penny or so more, you could sit more comfortably on a cushion.
Patrons
WRONG The cheapest price to watch a performance at the Globewas only 1 penny (about the price of a loaf of bread), which bought you a place amongst the ‘groundlings’ standing in the ‘yard’ around the stage. (There were 240 pennies in £1.) For another penny, you could have a bench seat in the lower galleries which surrounded the yard. Or for a penny or so more, you could sit more comfortably on a cushion.
7. What time did most plays at the original Globe Theatre begin?
17.00
WRONG The sun was the only source of light, so plays were performed in the daytime instead of at night as they are now. No candles were used for lighting because the Globe was built using very flammable materials like wood and plaster, which meant it was vulnerable to fire. All performances had to end before nightfall so that playgoers could return safely home.
19.00
WRONG The sun was the only source of light, so plays were performed in the daytime instead of at night as they are now. No candles were used for lighting because the Globe was built using very flammable materials like wood and plaster, which meant it was vulnerable to fire. All performances had to end before nightfall so that playgoers could return safely home.
15.00
CORRECT The sun was the only source of light, so plays were performed in the daytime instead of at night as they are now. No candles were used for lighting because the Globe was built using very flammable materials like wood and plaster, which meant it was vulnerable to fire. All performances had to end before nightfall so that playgoers could return safely home.
8. What is the nickname given to the original Globe Theatre?
The Rose
WRONG The theatre’s owner, Burbage named it The Globe after the figure of Hercules carrying the globe on his back – for in like manner, the actors carried the Globe’s framework on their backs across the Thames.
The Curtain
WRONG The theatre’s owner, Burbage named it The Globe after the figure of Hercules carrying the globe on his back – for in like manner, the actors carried the Globe’s framework on their backs across the Thames.
The Globe
CORRECT The theatre’s owner, Burbage named it The Globe after the figure of Hercules carrying the globe on his back – for in like manner, the actors carried the Globe’s framework on their backs across the Thames.
9. How was the commencement of a performance announced?
A trumpet
CORRECT To announce to the audience that the play was about to begin, a trumpet would be blown to signal to people it was time to take their final places.
A town crier
WRONG To announce to the audience that the play was about to begin, a trumpet would be blown to signal to people it was time to take their final places.
A musical performance
WRONG To announce to the audience that the play was about to begin, a trumpet would be blown to signal to people it was time to take their final places.
10. What happened to the original Globe Theatre?
Flood
WRONG The Globe Theatre burnt down in 1613 after a special effect on stage went wrong. A cannon used for a performance of Henry VIII set light to the thatched roof and the fire quickly spread. Supposedly it took less than two hours to burn down completely. Luckily, according to one of the few surviving documents of the event, nobody was hurt in the fire except for a man whose burning trousers had to be put out with a bottle of beer! Following the fire, the Globe Theatre was rebuilt in the same spot in 1614
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Fire
CORRECT The Globe Theatre burnt down in 1613 after a special effect on stage went wrong. A cannon used for a performance of Henry VIII set light to the thatched roof and the fire quickly spread. Supposedly it took less than two hours to burn down completely. Luckily, according to one of the few surviving documents of the event, nobody was hurt in the fire except for a man whose burning trousers had to be put out with a bottle of beer! Following the fire, the Globe Theatre was rebuilt in the same spot in 1614
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Riot
WRONG The Globe Theatre burnt down in 1613 after a special effect on stage went wrong. A cannon used for a performance of Henry VIII set light to the thatched roof and the fire quickly spread. Supposedly it took less than two hours to burn down completely. Luckily, according to one of the few surviving documents of the event, nobody was hurt in the fire except for a man whose burning trousers had to be put out with a bottle of beer! Following the fire, the Globe Theatre was rebuilt in the same spot in 1614
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