What was London like in Elizabeth times and who were the people attending the theatre?
LONDON
Despite already being great for it's time, London was continuing to grow... a lot. Between 1550 and 1600 the population went from around 50,000 people to 200,000. The city was expanding and every available space was being built on, which still applies even now where councils are running out of space (in terms of land) and having to build upwards. London was horrifically overcrowded with visitors describing streets as "dark and narrow", making it subject to the quick spread of plague (especially in the summertime) In 1593 around 10,000 people died of the plague causing all of the theatres to close.
Why was Shakespeare in London?
As previously touched (in question one), Shakespeare spent a lot of his working life in the city of London. London was and still is where you'll find large audiences and quantities of money/consumerism. Around 20.000 people went to theatre each week, it was firmly a part of english culture. Even the crown endorsed theatre pushing money and legal support into (mostly just London based) theatre companies. Between 1603 - 1613 Shakespeare's company performed at King James' court around 15 times a year. London was clearly the central hub for theatre and money making in general.
Where did Shakespeare live/work and why? (roughly 1590 - 1613)
- The London parish of St Helen's (mid 1590's) - It was close to The Theatre and The Curtain
- Paris Gardens, Bankside, South of the river Thames (1598-1602) - It was near The Globe
- Silver Street (around 1602) - Once he was famed and wealthy, he rented this house off of a rich French family who made luxurious expensive hats.
London Landscape incl. the globe (top right)
AUDIENCES
As so many people attended theatres plays had rather short runs before they were replaces. In the space of 80 years around 3,000 new plays were written simply to attract crowds. Much like todays industry (especially in the film/tv industry) violence, music, special effects and comedy was used to keep the audiences attention. It was especially important to keep audiences happy in these times as if they weren't they would militantly make their points heard.
Who Attended Theatre?
Generally, a mixture of different people. More men attended than women especially in the lower classes but this isn't unexpected in such a society. In some theatres diversity was richer than others but the globe was quite good and rightly so seeing as it had the capacity to hold around 1,500 people. Royalty didn't really attend public theatre but theatre companies and actors would sometimes be summoned to perform at the courts of Elizabeth the first and James 1.
Class and Money
In terms of pricing, Shakespeare's audiences (at the globe) would have been pretty diverse for it's time though, there was still a strong sense of segregation between classes in terms of where in the theatre they would be placed. The working class (e.g. tradesmen) may have been able to attend on occasion but the lower classes (which made up a substantial proportion of London's populous) could barely afford to eat, let alone go to watch theatre. The upper classes most likely would have regularly attended theatre as a social event. To simply stand in the pit it would cost one penny (nearly an entire days wage). To be seated in the Galleries it would cost 2 pence. To be placed in the Gentlemen's room's it would cost 6 pence and The Lords' room 1 shilling (12 pence).
A Swiss doctor, visiting from Basel commented on the pricing and his experience of the globe saying.
"Anyone who remains on the level standing pays only one English penny: if he wants to sit, he is let in at a farther door, and there he gives another penny. If he desires to sit on a cushion in the most comfortable place of all, where he not only sees everything well, but can also be seen then he gives yet another English penny.In the pauses of the comedy food and drink are carried round amongst the people and one can thus refresh himself at his own cost." - Thomas Platter
Audience members may have drank ale (at the lack of availability of clean water) or snacked on fruits and nuts. Excavations have resulted in the discovery of cutlery, oyster shells, bottles etc. pointing towards the notion that theatre audience consisted mostly of the rich and wealthy. Other theatres such as the Blackfriars held fewer people but ultimately cost a lot more (basic tickets started at a sixpence, and the super rich could buy tickets at the side of the stage for 2 shillings)
The Globe Theatre layout
Audience Behaviour
Audiences were a lot more unruly in comparison to todays silent, respectful spectators. They were loud clustered and prone to distraction from the drama off the stage.
"You will see such heaving and shoving, such itching and shouldering... such care for their garments that they be not trod on... such toying, such smiling, such winking, such manning them home that it is a right comedy to mark their behaviour" - Stephen Gosson (1554 - 1624)
I feel that theatre was more of a social event than a form affair where people would drink converse and argue rather than attentively watch and analyse. It must have been pretty irritating for the real theatre enthusiasts to pay attention whilst such ruckus surrounds them. Audiences would clap for heroes and boo/hiss villains much like the modern day pantomime. It was common to have thieves attending theatre events as it was one of the rare social events that brought the rich/poor together which thieves obviously saw as n opportunity.
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