By the time we arrived at the Globe, we were already 15 minutes late. I was so afraid that they weren’t going to let us in the see the show. I would never be able to forgive myself for being in London and missing my chance to see the most famous Shakespeare theatre in the world. It would almost be as bad as an astronaut passing up an opportunity to walk on the moon.
Thankfully, we had our tickets on reserve and after a quick check-in, we were ushered inside the swinging doors of the main entrance. When you enter the Globe Theatre you walk directly into what is known as “the pit.” This is a semi-circle of “standing room only” where, in order to see the play, you have to stand the entire time. Reminiscent of a Mountaineer football game, the true fans are the ones who stand. Above the pit, reclining gracefully on cushion-backed benches, are the wealthy patrons of the gallery. While a place in this section of the theatre may be significantly more expensive, it is also significantly more comfortable.
Of course, this whole setup is meant to parallel Shakespeare’s original Globe Theatre. Nearly 400 years ago, the peasants of London would pay one penny for a standing spot in the pit. For these peasants, a penny was no insignificant sum. Many manual labor jobs were known to pay only a penny-a-day during this time period. The gallery was only for noblemen and ladies who could afford such luxuries as seat-cushions and backrests.
In order to give our class the true Globe experience, our professors decided that the young people would be placed in the pit. (At only £5 a ticket, it’s still a pretty good deal!) The professors, on the other hand, decided to exercise their social and economic power and each took seats in the gallery. Since the play was already underway when we entered the Globe, I was immediately drawn into the action. We were seeing Anne Boleyn, a modern play not written by Shakespeare, but created to parallel his artistic style. The play told the story of Anne Boleyn, a young protestant noblewoman who became Henry VIII’s second wife and consequently, the Queen of England. Anne was eventually to become the mother of Elizabeth I, the most famous and influential queen in history of England. The play centered upon the religious upheaval and political tension that was going on in England during the time of the Protestant Reformation. (History people, if I got any of that wrong…please feel free to correct me.)
Well, I was standing amongst the other “peasants,” watching the sweet pageantry of the theater, when I noticed something: my feet were hurting. In fact, they were throbbing. I had literally been walking, running, and tubing around London all day and I was absolutely exhausted. Not to mention, I hadn’t had any dinner! About the second act, I began to cast envious glances at the people in the gallery. Look at them in their fluffy cushioned seats…grrr…I hope their legs are cramping! Okay, maybe I didn’t wish that…but I got pretty close. As I began to brew a second envious thought, another more gentle idea entered my consciousness: Who am I to complain? I am standing in the Globe Theatre. Years ago, men, women, and children gave up a day’s wages just to come here and stand. They were probably more tired, more exhausted, and more in need of food than I am. At that very moment, I looked up and saw the night sky. The stars glowed above me as the actors danced across the famous stage. I was suddenly glad that I wasn’t sitting in the gallery—for these rich and comfortable people had missed seeing the stars.
It didn’t take long before I was once again, lost in the action of the play. The lively costumes, vivid acting, interesting plot, and charm of the Globe melted the pain in my feet and quieted my growling tummy. Perhaps this is how it worked for the peasants of Shakespeare’s time as well. For them, the theater was a way to forget life’s problems and take a step into another world.
After the show, we all headed down to a Greek restaurant by the river. By now it was around 10:30pm and my reflective, peaceful mood had once again transformed into a frenzied quest for food. Dr. Stewart had left the theater a couple minutes early and much to my joy and delight had ordered a wide variety of Greek appetizers. Let me tell you, the food was delicious! (This may have been because I hadn’t eaten in 8 hours…but I rather think that it was really good food as well.) All dishes were served on little plates stacked on top of each other in a tiny “Food Tower of Pisa.” There were chicken and steak kebobs, yoghurt dressings, hummus, pitas, lentils, rice, baby potatoes, salads, cheeses, little fried meatball things, couscous, wrapped grape leaves, tofu on a stick, and French fries. (haha, don’t know why they had French fries) Well, after this dinner I decided that Greek in London just might be the new best thing ever. We arrived home at midnight and I have never been so happy to go to bed.
fun day! :)
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