On Friday Nick and I went to see The Duchess of Malfi at the
Globe’s new Jacobean Theatre on Bankside.
It was a wonderful experience and we felt very lucky to be
able to visit this fascinating new venue within days of its opening.
Seating only 380 or so people, the theatre is based on plans
from the middle of the seventeenth century.
It comes as close as research can make it to the sort of indoor theatre
that was beginning to take over from the larger ‘Wooden O’ in the early years
of the century, and of course it pre figures the shape of the indoor venues
that we enjoy today.
Webster’s rather grim play, which dates from around 1612, was
lit entirely by candlelight. This took a certain amount of getting used to, but
the experience was certainly atmospheric.
At the point in the play when the stage is supposed to be entirely dark,
it was indeed pitch black! Some of the
more dramatic moments came when a character’s face was simply lit by one or two
candles, and the brighter scenes were lit by large chandeliers, packed with flickering
candles.
The only problem with historically authentic theatres is the
fact that the seating can be a little challenging for twentieth century folk
used to more comfortable venues. The
Theatre Royal in Bury has the same problem, and critics have been loud in their
condemnation of the seating there! Three
hours on a barely padded bench without a back certainly keeps you awake
however, and the feeling of going back in time makes up for the inconvenience.
It is not necessary to book seats for the theatre to see its
beautiful interior, since I understand that guided tours of the original Globe site
will now include a visit to its smaller auditorium.
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