New London Globe
Theater 
History and Timeline

 

New London Globe Theatre stage

William Shakespeare Site Map

The New London Globe Theater Timeline
History - Dates - Shakespeare - Timeline - Bear Garden Museum - Sam Wanamaker - Reconstruction

New Globe Theater Pictures - modelled on the original - Stage, replica, model theatre

New Globe Theater - Structure, layout, design, dimensions and construction based on the original theatre, London

Visiting the New Globe Theater - London theatre vacation guide with Elizabethan, Shakespearean map

The Rise and Fall of Theater in London
The rise of Theatres start in 1576 but by 1648 theatres and playhouses were ordered to be pulled down, all players to be seized and whipped, and anyone caught attending a play to be fined five shillings. What events took place to lead to such a reverse of fortune for Theatres?  What happened? The Old Globe Timeline provides all of the answers.

How it all started - the New Globe Theater, London, England 
The Old Globe Theatre was demolished in 1644. It took the vision and drive of Sam Wanamaker to initiate the development of a New Globe Theatre.  The new Globe Timeline charts the key dates and events to bring the Globe and William Shakespeare back to London after a gap of over 350 years.  

The New London Globe Theater Timeline - History of events
1919 Sam Wanamaker is born
1949 Sam Wanamaker arrives in London and decides to visit the site and the remains of the old Globe
         Theatre. All he finds is a plaque on the wall of a brewery commemorating the famous thaeter. 
1969 Sam Wanamaker starts campaigning to rebuild the Globe theatre. 
1970 Sam Wanamaker establishes the "Globe Playhouse Trust" an educational charity, in order to  
         raise funds for the building of a replica theatre. HRH Prince Philip is Patron of the Shakespeare 
         Globe Trust 
1970 Southwark council provides a 1.2 acre site for the project beside the River Thames, opposite St.
         Paul's Cathedral. Approximately 200 yards from the site of the original Globe theatres
1970 The key architect Theo Crosby, and his firm, Pentagram are appointed to design the replica of the
         Globe 1970 - 1987 The architects research the designs of other master builders of Shakespeare's
         time. 
1972 The Bear Gardens Museum opens with permanent exhibition of 16th and 17th century theatre
         history
1982 Professor John Orrell provides new evidence on the shape and dimensions of the Globe by the
         analysis of a 1647 map of London by Wenceslas Hollar
1985 The "Friends of Shakespeare's Globe" is founded. 
1987 The site is cleared in readiness for the new construction works.
1987 Excavation of the site begins 1987 The "diaphragm" wall, on the side of Theatre closest to the
         Thames, is constructed to keep the water out.
1988 The project runs out of money. Doubts whether it would be possible to raise the enormous amount of
          money required for the project . 
1989 The Globe's original foundations were discovered on Bankside, about two hundred metres from the
         reconstruction site, together with those of the Rose Theatre. 
1989 95% of the site of the original Globe is covered by a nineteenth century listed building at 1/15
         Anchor Terrace, Southwark Bridge Road
1989 Theo Crosby presents an idea called, "direct building." The idea was to build the project phase by
         phase as money came in.
1989 The Globe Playhouse Trust funds produced ideas to raise money through donations including paving
         stones engraved with a donator's name, laid on the piazza amongst those sponsored by celebrities
         such as Sir Laurence Olivier & Sir Anthony Hopkins
1989 The Globe's Education department officially comes into being. 
1991 Construction work begins on the foundations of Theatre complex and on the Piazza. 
1993 Construction work begins on Theatre itself. 
1993 The first performance at the new thater is made by the Bremer Shakespeare Company after the 
         temporary stage is dedicated by Sir John Gielgud. 
1993 18th Dec Sam Wanamaker CBE, dies. 
1994 12th September Theo Crosby dies
1994 August - Theatre opened its doors for visitors and between 1994 and 1996, over 300,000 visitors
         came to see the thater under construction
1995 April - First International Conference subject - Within this Wooden 'O'
1995 16th Oct The National Lottery donates 12.4 million pounds to the Globe Trust to fund the 
         completion of Globe, foyer areas and ancillary facilities. 
1996 January - Mark Rylance is appointed artistic director
1996 August 21, 1996 the New Shakespeare's Globe reopened with a short, unofficial season  
         performance of The Two Gentlemen of Verona
1996 December The Globe was awarded the European Tourism Initiative Golden Star Award by the 
         European Federation of Associations of Tourism Journalists. 
1996 September 10-11 - Second International Conference - "Shakespeare and Tudor Theatrical   
         Traditions" 
1997 19th - 20th April A team of blacksmiths forge the finishing touches to the ornamental gates facing on
         to the River Thames. 
1997 27th May - The first performance of the Preview Season starts. The Opening Season 
         includes Shakespeare's Henry V and The Winter's Tale1997 April - May - The stage is built,
         the Frons Scenae and Heavens are built then thatched and painted. 
1997 7th June - The Festival of Firsts begins; marking the official opening of the new Globe Theatre. 
1997 June 12 - Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by HRH Prince Philip, inaugurates the Globe. 
1998 June to September the second season, featuring Shakespeare's As You Like It and The Merchant
         of Venice
1999 Winter-Spring - Work begins on the exhibition in the undercroft and on the Millennium footbridge
         which now links Bankside to Saint Paul's Cathedral and the City 
2003 May 7th - Zoe Wannamaker receives a Southwark Blue Plaque award on behalf of her father. 
2003 13th June - The Blue Plaque was unveiled outside Theater
The New London Theater Timeline - History of events

Additional Information

The following links provide additional information about the new and the old theatres, enabling detailed comparisons to be made between the structures. The description and history of the famous theatre and all other Elizabethan theatres together with some interesting pictures are also available via the link to Location Map & Descriptions of Elizabethan Theatres. Theatres we have included are The Boar's Head Theatre, Red Bull Theater, The Hope, Blackfriars, White Hart Inn, Bell Inn Theater, The Bear Garden, Salisbury Court, The Cockpit, Whitefriars, Bull Inn , Bell Savage Theater, Cross Keys Inn , Paul's Theatre, George Inn Theatre and the Bull Ring.

Shakespeare's London History Lives On
If you take a vacation to London do something really different. Live Shakespeare's London's history today. The New Globe Theatre is a major London attraction for anyone taking a vacation to London. A tour of the New Globe theatre and a visit to the Bear Garden Museum will provide you with a real 'feel' for Shakespeare's London and its history. But your vacation and tour of London can take you much further. The history of Theatres that were prominent during the life of Shakespeare is fascinating and we have provided a London Map detailing Theatres that Shakespeare would have most certainly known and visited and quite probably have acted in - the history of London comes to life. Many will be surprised to know that original Elizabethan inn-yards still exist in London and are still in use as London pubs. We have provided details in the link to visiting the New Globe Theater - a London vacation with a difference - experience the secret history of the city.
The history of Shakespeare will come to life - plan your tour and vacation around the many forgotten sites of Shakespeare's Secret London.

The New London Globe Theater Timeline
History - Dates - Shakespeare - Timeline - Bear Garden Museum - Sam Wanamaker - Reconstruction

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