Globe Theatre Lords Rooms
Interesting information about
the Globe Theatre Lords Rooms during the life and times of William Shakespeare and Elizabethan London, England
Globe Theatre Lords Rooms
The Globe Theatre Lords Rooms
were considered the best seats in the 'house'. They were
certainly the most expensive seats but why were they
considered the best? The Lords Rooms were situated in the
balconies, or galleries, at the back of the stage above the
Tiring Rooms. The seats cost 5d - five times more than the
pit. The Lords Rooms provided a poor view of the play and
the back of the actors. But these seats were the closest to
the actors and therefore these wealthy theatre goers were
able to hear every word of the play and the sound quality in
the Globe Theatre was poor. These upper class
Elizabethans believed that they were better able to
appreciate the finer points of dialogue - in fact plays
produced in the enclosed and more expensive playhouses were
deliberately text-heavy to suit the more intimate atmosphere
and more exclusive clientele. The word 'audience' is derived
from the Latin word audientia and the old French word
'audre' meaning to hear.
Globe Theatre Interior Replica
The other good reason for these exclusive seats
were because the audience would have a good view of the Lords. These
Elizabethan nobles were able to show-off their fine clothes to the lower
classes. The type of clothes worn during the Elizabethan era were
strictly dictated by the Sumptuary Laws.
People who lived during
Elizabethan times were not allowed to wear whatever they liked! It did
not matter how wealthy they were - the fabric, and even the style of
their clothes were dictated by rank, status or position and these strict
rules were enforced by English Law.
Due to the Statutes of Apparel (The Sumptuary Laws ) ordinary
Elizabethans were not able to wear the latest fashions. Fashionable
clothes would only be seen at a distance, when wealthy nobles or Royalty
were in view! The
Lords had no interest in the Lower Classes - and the Lords Rooms enabled
them to keep a good distance from the 'rabble' in the pit. The Globe
audience who paid the least entrance money stood in the pit and were
often referred to as 'Groundlings'. However, due to the hot summer days
they were also referred to as 'Stinkards' for obvious reasons. The
nobles would also wish to keep their distance from the lower classes
because of the terrible and constant threat of the frequent outbreaks of
the Bubonic Plague.
Globe Theatre Lords Rooms
Interesting Facts and information
about the Globe Theatre Lords Rooms.
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Globe Theatre can be accessed via the Globe Theatre Sitemap.
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