Shakespeare S Globe Exhibition

The rebuilding of the Globe theatre (1599-1613) on London's Bankside, a few yards from the site of the playhouse in which many of Shakespeare's plays were first performed, must rank as one of the most imaginative enterprises of recent decades. It has aroused intense interest among scholars and the general public worldwide. This book offers a fully illustrated account of the research that has gone into the Globe reconstruction, drawing on the work of leading scholars, theatre people and craftsmen to provide an authoritative view of the twenty years of research and the hundreds of practical decisions entailed. Documents of the period are explored afresh; the techniques of timber-framed building and the decorative practices of Elizabethan craftsmen explained; and all of this reconciled with the requirements of the actors and restrictions of modern architectural design. The result is a book that will fascinate scholarly readers and laymen alike.

The rebuilding of the Globe theatre (1599-1613) on London's Bankside, a few yards from the site of the playhouse in which many of Shakespeare's plays were first performed, must rank as one of the most imaginative enterprises of recent decades. It has aroused intense interest among scholars and the general public worldwide. This book offers a fully illustrated account of the research that has gone into the Globe reconstruction, drawing on the work of leading scholars, theatre people and craftsmen to provide an authoritative view of the twenty years of research and the hundreds of practical decisions entailed. Documents of the period are explored afresh; the techniques of timber-framed building and the decorative practices of Elizabethan craftsmen explained; and all of this reconciled with the requirements of the actors and restrictions of modern architectural design. The result is a book that will fascinate scholarly readers and laymen alike.

A companion volume to a major exhibition at the Smithsonian's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery assembles more than 250 full-colour reproductions of paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, maps, early books and many other extraordinary creations. the Portuguese voyages brought about a dramatic revolution; they were the first real interaction among cultures of the world and lead to the creation of strikingly beautiful and highly original works of art. this incredible collection of images features more than 250 full-color reproductions of paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, maps, early books, and many other extraordinary creations. Essays by leading authorities shed new light on the period, especially the motivations behind Portuguese expansion and the remarkable story of the search for Eastern spices. A dazzling look at the New World as it was being created.

Published in conjunction with an exhibition held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Sept. 16, 2013-Jan. 5, 2014.

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre is recognised worldwide as both a monument to and significant producer of the dramatic art of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. But it has established a reputation too for commissioning innovative and distinctive new plays that respond to the unique characteristics and identity of the theatre. This is the first book to focus on the new drama commissioned and produced at the Globe, to analyse how the specific qualities of the venue have shaped those works and to assess the influences of both past and present in the work staged. The author argues that far from being simply a monument to the past, the reconstructed theatre fosters creativity in the present, creativity that must respond to the theatre's characteristic architecture, the complex set of cultural references it carries and the heterogeneous audience it attracts. Just like the reconstructed 'wooden O', the Globe's new plays highlight the relevance of the past for the present and give the spectators a prominent position. In examining the score of new plays it has produced since 1995 the author considers how they illuminate issues of staging, space, spectators, identity and history - issues that are key to an understanding of much contemporary theatre. Howard Brenton's In Extremis and Anne Boleyn receive detailed consideration, as examples of richly productive connection between the playwright's creativity and the theatre's potential. For readers interested in new writing for the stage and in the work of one of London's totemic theatre spaces, New Playwriting at Shakespeare's Globe offers a fascinating study of the fruitful influences of both past and present in today's theatre.

'I think it's queer. And it's about to get queerer...' Edward II wanders on to the empty stage, bloodied and confused. He has no idea where he is, or how he got here, but he does have an ominous feeling that something is wrong. As that feeling grows, so too does the threat on the other side of the auditorium doors. Edward finds himself locked inside the theatre with some rather anarchic fellow inmates: Gertrude Stein, Harvey Milk and Quentin Crisp. As they set about unravelling what has happened, only one thing is certain: everything is not as it seems... A daring new play written specifically for the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in response to Christopher Marlowe's Edward II, After Edward welcomes us into a chaotic world of pride and shame, with moments of elation, outrageous humour and heart-breaking tenderness. Oh, and Maggie Thatcher. In a play that reminds us of the power of theatre to provoke recognition and reflection, this is Edward II as you've never seen him before.