This Day in History: 29 June 2020
29 June 1613
407 years ago, today, the Globe Theatre, where most of Shakespeare's plays debuted, burned down. In 1599, the Globe had been built by Shakespeare's acting company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men. It was constructed from the timbers of London's first permanent theatre, Burbage's Theatre, that was built in 1576. However, before James Burbage had created his theatre, plays and dramatic performances in England were impromptu. They were most commonly performed on street corners and in the gardens of inns. In 1574, this changed when the Common Council of London started to license theatrical pieces. James Burbage built his own theatre to escape the restrictions, and when the lease ran out on his land, the Lord Chamberlain's men moved the timbers to a new location, creating the Globe.
The Globe was a round, wooden structure, typical of other theatres of the time, with a stage at one end, and covered balconies for the gentry. The galleries could seat as many as 1,000 people, with room for another 2,000 who could stand on the ground around the stage. Ultimately, this wooden structure would lead to the theatre's downfall. During a performance of 'Henry VIII', a theatrical canon misfired and ignited the wooden beams and thatching. It was reported by one of the few surviving documents of the event that no one was hurt except a man whose burning breeches were put out with a bottle of ale. The Globe was rebuilt in the following year.
Want to find out more about the history of the Globe Theatre? Click here for more information, or here for more information about the fire in 1613.
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