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The Ultimate Guide to visiting the Shakespeares Globe

Shakespeare’s globe ultimate guide.

Nestled near the Tate Modern and the Millennium Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre may seem a little out of place. It was, after all, designed after the original Globe Theatre which was built in 1599, (and then later rebuilt in 1614 after it was destroyed by a fire).

When it was first constructed, the Globe Theatre was located in the epicentre of London’s entertainment district on the Bankside in Southwark. Performances were put on by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, and it is said that Shakespeare himself even sat in the theatre to watch his own performances.

The modern-day Globe Theatre is an oak-and-thatch replica of the original 1599 Elizabethan playhouse (which once sat about 200 metres from where the Globe stands today), and as a result concertgoers will feel as if they’ve been transported back to Elizabethan times when watching a performance.

Today the theatre serves as an open-air venue dedicated to the work of Shakespeare, and some of the many performances visitors can still watch at the playhouse include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, The Taming of the Shrew, and many, many more. Depending on the time of year, several plays, operas, comedy shows and candlelit concerts are held inside the playhouse as well.

Visitors can sit on the wooden benches (which can sit up to 340 people) surrounding the stage, or in any of the two tiers of galleried seating, and there are also productions held in the recently-opened Sam Wanamaker Playhouse (a candlelit indoor theatre located inside the Globe’s building). Attendees can even stand in the standing rabble directly in front of the stage, just as they did in the original theatre during Elizabethan times.

the globe theatre london visit

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Highlights

Not only does the Globe Theatre host numerous performances throughout the summer months, they also host guided tours of the playhouse as well as the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, which are led by the Globe’s many performers. During the tours, visitors are educated on the history of the Globe, and will also be shown costume and prop collections which are used during performances at the theatre.

Another highlight includes the Globe Theatre’s Exhibition, which educates visitors on Shakespeare’s life, as well as where he lived in London. It also gives some background on what Southwark would have looked like during Elizabethan times, as well as more information on the construction of the original playhouse.

Depending on when you visit, there may also be some temporary exhibitions and/or galleries being held inside the playhouse, which range from historical to photography exhibitions.

Special Tips

the globe theatre london visit

Getting There

Visiting the globe theatre.

Make sure you check the weather forecast before you book your tickets, as those in the standing area may be “exposed to the elements” while watching a performance; (it is an open-air theatre after all). The use of umbrellas is strictly forbidden, so make sure you bring an extra raincoat and warm shoes, just in case. If you’re worried about standing in the rain, there are seats available which are protected under a sound roof.

Guided tours of the Globe Theatre and the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse take about 30 minutes each, and you’re welcome to ask questions at the end of each tour. Visitors can also go on their own self-guided tour of the Exhibition which includes a complimentary audio guide that is available in several different languages; (visitors can pick up their audio guides at the admissions desk at the Exhibition). If no tour is running on the day of your visit, visitors can enter the Exhibition at a reduced price.

Visitors can also go on a tour to the Rose Theatre archaeological site (only on certain days when there is an afternoon matinee performance), to view the remains of the original Globe theatre. If you don’t feel like going on a tour, you can easily find the spot of the original theatre on your own, as it is marked with a plaque as well as information panels about 200 metres away from the Globe.

the globe theatre london visit

Ticket prices and Opening Hours

Due to the fact that the Globe is an open-air theatre, performances are only held from mid-April to mid-October. The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse theatre season is from October until April, but candlelit music concerts are performed here throughout the year.

Globe Theatre tours, on the other hand, run every day throughout the year (except December 24th and 25th); however, during the performance season tours finish around mid-day in order to allow time for matinee performances. Sam Wanamaker Playhouse tours are only available on selected days, and generally run every 30 minutes between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The hours for the Globe Theatre tours are:

  • 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Mondays)
  • 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Tuesday to Saturday)
  • 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (Sundays)

Both the Exhibition and tour tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served bases, so try to arrive at least 30 minutes before the final tour of the day to ensure yourself a spot.

For Shakespeare performances, seat ticket costs range depending on visibility. There are 700 standing tickets available (which offer the best views of the stage) and cost £5 each. Seating tickets for the lower, middle and upper galleries cost anywhere between £20 and £45.

If you want to watch a candlelit concert at the Globe Theatre, tickets cost £10 (for standing) or anywhere between £15 to £48 (for seating). Tickets for opera performances cost £10 (for standing) or £26-£79 (for seating), while tickets for comedy shows cost £10 (for standing) or £25-£35 (for seating).

the globe theatre london visit

Free Tours in Your Language

Shakespeare's Globe

A view of an empty Globe Theatre, the image pans across the stage and seating bays.

VIRTUAL TOUR.

Step inside the Globe Theatre

  • Virtual tour: online
  • Virtual tour: 360 app

Everyone, no matter where they are in the world, can now walk around Shakespeare’s Globe with our virtual tour and 360 iOS app .

Use this page or download the app to tour the Globe Theatre from the comfort of your own home. Our interactive 360 degrees virtual tour uses photos, videos and audible wonder to guide you along the way.

This online digital tour is free. We ask that you consider a donation to us in return, as a charity currently relying on your support more than ever before. Thank you.

VIRTUAL TOUR: ONLINE

Using your mouse or your finger if you are on a mobile or tablet tap the box that says “VIEW 360”.

Then click and hold or tap and drag the screen to look around the interior of the Globe Theatre.

Tap on the circles and explore the images, videos and sounds that are located around the Globe Theatre.

Tap out when you are done and keep tapping away to find discover more!

Have fun and keep on discovering!

VIRTUAL TOUR: 360 APP

Packed with interesting facts, videos and photos, our free app allows anyone in the world to explore a virtual version of the world’s most iconic theatre.

Move around the virtual theatre, zoom in and out and reveal the theatre’s oak frame. Venture through the oak doors and head inside, where you can explore the theatre as stunning 360 degree images. Locations include an actor’s-eye view from the stage, backstage in the tiring-house, the musicians’ gallery and standing in the Yard.

The app is free and available on Apple iOS.

It contains an optional in app purchase.

 Globe 360 via App Store

 Globe 360 Marker

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the globe theatre london visit

The Secret London Guide To The Globe

Alex Landon

All the world’s a stage, especially at The Globe.

For some 500 years, London has been a thriving hotbed of theatre, filling the playhouses with the work of playwrights new and old. In terms of sheer spectacle though, nowhere can best The Globe , the stunning replica of an Elizabethan playhouse that premiered many of Shakespeare’s best-loved works. Famed for their outdoor performances of The Bard’s classics, an evening at The Globe is a theatrical experience like no other . Here’s all you need to know!

The Globe overview

The Globe

We’ll clear up one misconception straight away: Shakespeare never actually set foot in The Globe, despite it often being referred to as ‘Shakespeare’s Globe’. The Globe is a meticulously constructed replica of the original Globe Theatre, which opened in 1599 on a site a few hundred metres away from its modern equivalent. The original theatre had a colourful history; constructed from the timbers of The Curtain (London’s second ever theatre), it was set on fire by an errant cannon during a production of Henry VIII in 1613, rebuilt the following year, and eventually torn down by the notoriously fun-averse Puritans in 1644.

The Globe

The modern version was the vision of legendary American actor and director Sam Wanamaker, who spent some 23 years researching, designing, and fundraising for the project. Sadly, he never saw it finished; work on The Globe was completed in 1997, some three and a half years after Wanamaker’s death. To commemorate his work, one of The Globe’s two theatres bears his name – the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse is a candlelit space inspired by the indoor playhouses of Jacobean London.

The Globe

The other theatre is the Globe Theatre, the circular outdoor theatre which draws most of the attention, and plays host to productions from April to October (the Wanamaker Playhouse hosts winter shows between November and April). Together, the two spaces offer a programme of theatre determined by the Globe’s artistic director, a post occupied by such luminaries as Oscar-winning actor Mark Rylance. The current artistic director, Michelle Terry, has a plain-stated intention to modernise The Globe’s output, by using methods include directorless, actor-led productions, genderblind casting, and a strong commitment to diversity – which means these plays are unlike any Shakespeare you’ve seen before.

Things to see at The Globe

The Globe

It’s the theatre, dahling, so you’ll most likely end up watching a play or two. Productions run throughout the year, following the structure of a summer season (mostly hosted in the Globe Theatre) and a winter season (usually housed in the Wanamaker Playhouse). For the best experience of theatre as it was in Shakespeare’s day, you’ll want a standing ticket for a show in the Globe Theatre, peering up at the ornate stage in a unique approximation of historical London theatre.

The Globe

Productions run throughout the year, and unsurprisingly tend to ramp up in the summer – this year, the summer season begins on April 14th (don’t worry, we’ll get to the upcoming shows shortly). The Globe really do go above and beyond in trying to accommodate all kinds of theatregoers – not only do they offer British Sign Language performances and captioned performances for the deaf or hard of hearing, but they also run audio-described shows for those with declining sight, and relaxed performances for those with autism, learning disorders, or sensory and communication disabilities. Which really is jolly decent of them.

The Globe

If you’re not here for a play, you can undertake a guided tour of The Globe, tracing the history of the theatre through a series of colourful stories. The theatre also offers a wide range of talks, including a fascinating Ask The Actor series, special events, poetry nights, and workshops. Back in the realm of the theatrical, The Globe’s ‘ Read Not Dead ‘ series gives actors one morning to rehearse a forgotten play, and then perform it in the afternoon in a laidback setting.

Current and upcoming productions at The Globe

From gripping history plays to outrageous comedies, there’s something for every audience at The Globe in 2020.

The Globe

Women Beware Women, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, February 21-April 18 : Characters in a Thomas Middleton tragedy rarely make it out without blood on their hands (if they make it out at all), so a searching examination of gender dynamics should make this one a bloody riot. Tickets and info here .

The Taming of the Shrew, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, February 1-April 18 : Forever examined and reexamined in these modern times, the power balance inherent in romantic entanglements once again comes bounding to the foreground in this production. Tickets and info here .

Romeo & Juliet , Globe Theatre, April 14-July 12 : It’s the classic tale of star-crossed lovers, with an extra sprinkle of magic provided by Harry Potter star Alfred Enoch stepping into the role of Romeo. Two houses, both alike in dignity… Tickets and info here .

The Globe

A Midsummer Night’s Dream , Globe Theatre, April 27-October 7 : I don’t think London is actually capable of going a summer without a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, so it’s a good thing the Globe aren’t going to let that happen! Tickets and info here .

The Tempest , Globe Theatre, May 1-October 8 : Just a story about a desert island, a marooned Duke, his daughter, and his enslaved spirit – you know, the usual. Expect magic, treachery, and lashings of the supernatural in one of Shakespeare’s great late plays. Tickets and info here .

As You Like It , Globe Theatre, May 4-October 7 : Mischief and mayhem unfold in the Forest of Arden, where true love often wears a disguise. It’s a return to the stage for The Globe’s cracking 2018 production. Tickets and info here .

Twelfth Night , Globe Theatre, May 15-October 3 : Merry madness abounds in this audience favourite, which features shipwrecks, disguises, and mistaken identity aplenty. Essentially, this is Love Island before there was a Love Island… Tickets and info here .

The Globe

Much Ado About Nothing , Globe Theatre, June 19-October 4 : Love springs eternal, and it springs from hate in the case of Beatrice and Benedick, whose elegant, witty verbal duels are the highlight of the play. Tickets and info here .

Antony & Cleopatra , Globe Theatre, July 18-August 29 : Empires come crashing down in Shakespeare’s sweeping tragedy, as love collides with power and ambition under the heat of a summer sun. Tickets and info here .

Ovid’s Metamorphoses , Globe Theatre, September 4-October 3 : A prominent inspiration for Shakespeare, Ovid and his timeless tales get a richly reimagined production at the Globe. It’s a suitably grand stage for one of the most impressive works of storytelling ever told. Tickets and info here .

When to visit The Globe

The Globe

You can’t really limit good theatre to a certain time, but as I’ve mentioned, the summer season is possibly the best time to visit. Watching live theatre in the summer sunshine (hopefully), standing in the yard just as audiences would have in Shakespeare’s day, is honestly an experience every London resident and visitor should have. Plus, at only £5 for a standing ticket, trips to The Globe certainly aren’t going to break the bank.

The Globe

The Globe normally run a few special events around Shakespeare’s birthday (widely accepted to be April 23), including their long-running Shakespeare Walks . On April 17-19th , you can embark upon a two-hour tour of Shakespeare’s London, brought to life by a company of twenty-two actors, and ending up at The Globe.

The Globe

One new addition during Michelle Terry’s reign is the intriguing Audience Choice . On May 9th , you’ll walk into The Globe without knowing which play you’ll be seeing. As the Touring Ensemble are performing A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, and The Tempest all summer, they’re well-versed in each – so on Audience Choice night, the audience decides which play the actors will be performing, via the highly scientific method of ‘loudest cheer wins’. Terrifying for them, but good fun for you !

Restaurants, pubs, and bars near The Globe

The Globe

You don’t even need to leave The Globe to be fed and watered: the in-house Swan Restaurant makes use of locally-sourced produce to deliver modern British cuisine. The restaurant also offers a fun Midsummer Night’s Dream-themed afternoon tea , which really is the food of love in our opinion (yes, I know that’s a Twelfth Night quote, but sue me). For a pre-theatre libation, check out the Swan Bar’s range of cocktails, which includes the intriguing prospect of a Rhubarb Negroni.

The Globe

Away from The Globe itself, you’ll find a whole host of restaurants in which to sate your appetite before or after the show. The stylishly-designed Sea Containers restaurant boasts a varied all-day menu, delicious small plates take centre stage at nearby Lupins , highly-regarded Native makes incredible use of a zero-waste policy, and a branch of London favourite Caravan is close by too.

The Globe

A wander up the South Bank will take you to a whole range of riverside bars, or you can head the other direction towards London Bridge and Borough Market – handily, we’ve got a guide to the best pubs in the area . As Shakespeare himself once wrote, “Good company, good wine, good welcome can make good people”!

The Globe visitor information

The Globe

Location: 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, SE1 9DT. See it on Google Maps . Nearest stations: Southwark, London Bridge, and Blackfriars. Price: at the Globe Theatre, you’ll pay just £5 for a standing ticket – or you can opt for a seat in the gallery, which begins at £23. In the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, standing tickets are £10, and seated tickets begin at £20. Opening times: during the summer season, matinees begin around 1-2pm, evening shows anywhere between 6:30-8pm. Box office hours are 10am-6pm, tours run daily from 9:30am-5pm, but are subject to performance schedules. More information: available on their website .

More London attractions to visit

Because we know you love exploring London, we’ve created some handy guides to the city’s best landmarks and tourist attractions.

🏛 British Museum: the massive museum that’s home to 7 million objects

🌲 Kew Gardens: London’s legendary botanical garden is a plant paradise

👀 View from the Shard: the highest viewpoint in London with a sky-high cocktail bar

🎨 Tate Modern: the world’s most popular modern art gallery

Featured image: @irrphotography

Also published on Medium .

the globe theatre london visit

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Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London: The Complete Guide

the globe theatre london visit

 Chris Dorney / Getty Images

Shakespeare's Globe

When Shakespeare's Globe opened in 1997 it was the first thatch-roofed building permitted in the British capital since the Great Fire of London in 1666. Today this historically accurate, open-air recreation of the theater where Shakespeare's plays were performed — located just a few hundred yards from the original Globe — has been joined by a second venue, a candlelit indoor playhouse where audiences can have a genuine 17th century theater experience.

Both are musts for visiting theatergoers, culture vultures and fans of the Bard from all over the world. How they came to be built on London's Bankside is a story of determination verging on obsession on the part of the late American actor Sam Wanamaker.

The History of the Original Globe Theatre

The area of London south of the Thames and now known as Bankside was, in Shakespeare's time, a kind of red light district outside London in the borough of Southwark. The area was home to theaters and pubs as well as bear-baiting arenas and brothels. Despite what you may have seen in the film " Shakespeare in Love ," it's unlikely that Queen Elizabeth I ever travelled up river from Greenwich to attend a play there. Instead, Shakespeare's company, The Kings Men, were summoned to the royal palace to perform for her.

It was in this rowdy district that the first Globe was built in 1599. Shakespeare, along with other actors, was not the owner but a shareholder. It burned down in 1613 when a stage cannon set fire to its thatch roof. The theater was rebuilt by the company while Shakespeare was still alive and remained successfully in operation until 1642 when the Puritans, under Oliver Cromwell , closed it down. Two years later it was torn down completely and tenement housing was built over the spot.

Enter Sam Wanamaker

American actor and ex-pat Sam Wanamaker was working in Britain when the Army-McCarthy hearings got underway and worried about being blacklisted by Hollywood, he decided to stay. He built a distinguished career in the UK, acting and directing on stage and in films. While in England he played Iago to Paul Robeson's Othello at Stratford-upon-Avon and briefly directed the New Shakespeare Theatre in Liverpool. In 1970, while in Southwark, he was shocked to realize that while there were several replica Globe theaters in the USA and elsewhere, all that remained of the Bard in his home city was a historic marker on the side of a brewery. Wanamaker devoted the rest of his life to correcting that.

How Shakespeare's Globe London Was Built

It took years to raise the money to build the theater and to research how to create the experience of a Shakespearean theatergoer in a modern setting — including adding a sprinkler system that keeps the roof thatch moistened to prevent fire. About three years into the project, evidence of the real Globe was discovered nearby and that information fed into the design of the new theater in terms of the architecture and materials. The project was not without its obstacles. English Heritage, who owned the land on which the theater is built, wanted to sell it for development. Local planning and council officials were not completely on board. But Wanamakers determination eventually won the day. Sadly, he died three years before the project was completed but left Londoners and visitors alike this amazing legacy.

Seeing a Play in the "Wooden O"

The theater is often referred to as a wooden "O" even though it is actually octagonal. The reference comes from Shakespeare himself. He described the setting in the prologue of " Henry V :"

"...can this cockpit hold The vasty fields of France? or may we cram Within this wooden O the very casques That did affright the air at Agincourt?"

The modern theater is considerably more than just a wooden "O." The three levels of gallery seats are reached after crossing a courtyard (where intermission crowds can enjoy their drinks) that separates the theater from a modern building that holds dressing rooms, workshops, wardrobe stores and a museum. Since 2014, the complex also includes a second theater — but more about that below.

Plays are performed on a rectangular stage with a back wall on one side of the "O". In addition to the gallery seats, several hundred tickets, at £5 each, are sold for standees — known as groundlings . In Shakespeare's day groundlings were also known as stinkards .

Seeing a play as a groundling can be a lot of fun as the audience is encouraged to participate and heckle as they would have done in the original Globe. But before you grab at a chance to be a groundling, think about whether you can actually stand for two or three hours. Groundlings at Shakespeare's Globe are not allowed to sit on the ground. Seats on the backless benches of the galleries are none too comfortable either. Cushions can be rented but experienced audiences at the Globe often bring their own cushions and even blankets for the unpredictable English weather.

Performances, which take place from late spring through early autumn are held outdoors during daylight hours — rain or shine. The theater has no roof and no umbrellas are allowed. So if you are worried about inclement weather, bring a rain poncho.

What to Do at the Globe

  • Guided Tours : You can tour the theater and theater complex year round when plays are not taking place. Tours are in English with fact sheets provided in French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese and Simplified Chinese. Shakespeare's Southwark Tours are offered when the theater is in use for performances.
  • Group Tours, Experiences and Demonstrations : Fancy learning how to dress like an Elizabethan? Watching a demonstration of Shakespearean stage fighting or seeing how Shakespeare's plays were printed for the First Folio? A range of experiences can be arranged for groups, some of which include meals, cream teas and visits to nearby attractions like The Shard and the Tate Modern.
  • Dine and Drink : The Swan is open for lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, pre and post performance dining. You don't have to be a ticket holder to enjoy the views of the Thames and St. Paul's Cathedral from the restaurant. The Swan Bar is open from breakfast and casual daytime dining through cocktails, and there's a Foyer Cafe Bar for snacks, light meals and drinks.

The Sam Wanamaker Theater

When Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was first designed, an indoor, Jacobean theater, was also planned. Some of Shakespeare's later plays would have been performed in such a theater, lit by candles with the audience seated around the stage. But at first, no one really knew what such a theater would have looked like inside or how it would have worked. A brick building, in use at first for workshops and educational spaces, was built to house the Jacobean theater.

Eventually, the theater was designed based on the evidence of two sheets of drawings that fell out of a book in the Worcester College library, Oxford. At first thought to be by theater designer Inigo Jones, the drawings are now attributed to one of his students in 1660, depicting what a theater may have looked like 50 years earlier. They are considered the earliest known designs for an English theater.

The theater, adjacent to the Globe and connected through the same central lobby, was named in honor of Wanamaker and opened in 2014. Much of the detail is speculative with some of the decoration copied from stately homes of the period. It was built from green oak and still smells of fresh wood, several years later. Be warned, though, oak resin smells coupled with candle smoke can be hard to take if you are at all sensitive or allergic.

Shakespeare's Globe Essentials

  • Where : Shakespeare's Globe Theatre London, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT
  • When: Performances on the Globe stage take place from April through September. Most start in mid afternoon but, during the longest days of summer some evening performances are scheduled. Performances in the Sam Wanamaker Theater are scheduled from October through April with listings and ticket sales announced during the summer.
  • See what's on: A very wide range of performances, workshops, storytelling, writing workshops and family activities is available through the year
  • Tickets: Tickets for all shows and events can be purchased through the website or by phoning the Box Office on +44 (0)20 7401 9919. Purchases through the website require a password protected account that you can easily set up online.
  • Getting There: The Globe is a ten or 15 minute walk from the nearest London Underground stations, St. Paul's, Mansion House, London Bridge, Blackfriars. There is limited parking for cars with blue disabled badges and taxis are readily available nearby.
  • For more information: Check the main website regularly as there is always something going on.

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Shakespeare’s globe, more information.

020 7902 1409 | [email protected]

Sound Amplification:

Induction Loop

Accessible toilets by Globe Door 1, next to first aid room on Piazza level, and on Lecture Theatre level - staff can assist.

Guide Dogs Policy:

Guide dogs are permitted inside the auditorium. Please inform the Box Office when booking and contact the house manager upon arrival. Please be aware thet the Yard can be very noisy and crowded and that certain productions contain loud sound effects such as cannon fire.

Wheelchairs:

1 space situated in the Stalls of the Globe Theatre; 3 spaces situated in the Circle. 2 spaces available in Sam Wanamaker's Playhouse.

Access from Street to Foyer:

Level access.

Access From Theatre Foyer To Seat:

28 steps to Middle Gallery of Globe Theatre, 50 to Upper Gallery, lift to main theatre level. No steps to Stalls of Sam Wanamaker Playhouse; 15 to Lower Circle, 35 to Upper Circle.

Level Access:

Level access to Globe Theatre and Stalls of Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Lift access to all other levels of Playhouse.

Stairs/Lift/Ramp Available:

Lift to all levels.

020 7401 9919

Security note: For your comfort and security, you may be subject to additional checks on your visit to London theatres. Please contact the venue for more information.

2 bars: Foyer Café Bar and Swan Bar, both with views of the Thames.

Air Conditioned:

Accepts theatre tokens:.

Situated on the bank of the River Thames alongside Bankside’s Cultural Quarter, Shakespeare’s Globe is the place to be for productions of the Bard’s work, welcoming thousands of visitors to experience internationally renowned Shakespeare productions every day.

The original Globe Theatre opened in 1599. A short walk from the National Theatre, a reconstruction of Shakespeare’s theatre now stands just a stone’s throw away from where the original once stood.

Shakespeare’s Globe also contains the  Sam Wanamaker Playhouse , a magical candlelit indoor theatre located on the Globe site and accessed through the main foyer.

Steeped in historic legacy, Shakespeare’s Globe perhaps looks much older than it is, but is in actual fact one of the newest of the theatres in the area; it was reconstructed in the 90s, founded by pioneering American actor/director Sam Wanamaker. In 1613, during a performance of Henry VIII, wadding from a stage cannon ignited the thatched roof and the original Globe was burnt to the ground. 400 years later, live cannons may no no longer used in theatres, but Shakespeare’s canon is being performed here in original performance conditions.

Its work is not just limited to staging his plays, but also acts as an international resource in the exploration of his work, offering numerous education programmes, seeking to further the experience and international understanding of Shakespeare.

Attendees can dine at the Swan, The Globe’s very own elegant restaurant, before enjoying Much Ado About Nothing or one of many other brilliantly produced shows. The Swan boasts great food and incredible views of the Thames and The City.

Editor's Pick

This year’s olivier awards industry recognition award recipients, enjoy 15% off pre-theatre dining at the rubens hotel, interview tell us in 10: marcus collins.

The Geographical Cure

Guide To Shakespeare’s Globe Theater In London

All the world’s a stage at Shakespeare’s Globe Theater in London.

If you’re fascinated with playwright William Shakespeare, you’ll likely be fascinated with his namesake Globe Theater in London and want to visit.

It’s a unique theatrical space that’s an epicenter of London history associated with the bard. The reconstructed open air theater is a half-timbered and thatched roof reconstruction of the old theater where Shakespeare acted and directed.

the reconstructed Globe Theater

It was an Elizabethan style theater in the round, hence the term “globe.” The theater’s debut play was  Julius Caesar. Most of Shakespeare’s tragedies were specifically written for the Globe.

This Globe Theater guide gives you a history of Shakespeare, the Globe, and tells you everything to see inside.

Who Was William Shakespeare ?

Who art though, William Shakespeare? Friends and countrymen, lend me your ears for the tall tale.

Shakespeare was born in 1564 in the town of Stratford-Upon-Avon, just a short jog from London. He was born to a glove maker, but disliked both his father and the trade.

In 1582, Shakespeare married Ann Hathaway when he was 18 and they had three children. The novel Hamnet would have you think that, perhaps, it was a love match with Shakespeare wearing his heart on his sleeve. Certainly, the pair played fast and loose because Ann was pregnant when they married.

But, not afraid of greatness and with only modest doubt, Shakespeare decided to suffer a sea-change hoping for something rich and strange.

He left his family to try to make a living based on the stuff dreams are made on. He became an actor, playwright, theater manager, and theater owner in London.

the only known contemporaneous portrait of Shakespeare, in London's National Portrait Gallery, 1600-10

By 1592, Shakespeare had hit the big time. He did not have greatness thrust upon him. He was simply brilliant and deserved his accolades.

Shakespeare became renowned in his time, leading a charmed life. He’s now considered the greatest dramatist of all time and perhaps the best author in any language.

Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets. He even invented words we still use today.

The bard is still popular because he wrote about timeless themes and what fools these mortals be. His subjects were the guts of life — love, death, revenge, hate, and the royal throne of kings on the sceptered isle.

But every why hath a wherefore. Very little is known about Shakespeare’s life and personality. There are no diaries or memoirs.

Shakespeare mural outside the Globe Theater

Did Shakespeare even write his own plays? That’s been the fraught subject of academic fury, with conspiracy theories cropping up like a twice told tale, vexing the ear of a a drowsy man.

Ardent Stratfordians give a resounding “yes” in answer to the question. But, yet, there are strange bedfellows whose misery begs to disagree.

Thought is free. And so some waspish scholars have gone on a wild goose chase speculating that Shakespeare had from help others or, alack, that others did the deed.

Included on the list of supposed co-authors are such luminaries as Christopher Marlow, Francis Bacon, the Earl Of Oxford, or even a Jewish-Venetian woman named Amelia Bassano.

But proving a single person wrote X play is an elusive task.

Creative workshops were the rule in early modern theater, as in Leonardo da Vinci’s Renaissance workshops in Florence and Milan . It’s possible that Shakespeare collaborated with other people or rivals on his plays, just as Leonardo did on his paintings.

Most of the authorship theories have been widely dismissed, as pricks that did not poison. And really, what’s in a name? The play’s the thing in the end.

The Globe Theater

History of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater

The globe’s success.

The first Globe Theater opened in 1599. It was owned by and built for actors.

The Globe was built outside the walls of ancient Londinium on the south side of the Thames. Government officials didn’t cotton to the idea of a bawdy playhouse in the center of town.

The Globe’s debut play was Julius Caesar , a play that for my own part was once Greek to me as a youth. The theater originally accommodated 2,200 seated and another 1,000 standing.

Music, the food of love, played during the play and at intermission.

For 14 years, the Globe was a huge success. The theater was referred to as “the glory of the Bank,” bringing the merry man everlasting joy.

stamp printed in Great Britain dedicated to theater reconstruction, 1614

Fire & Rebuilding

But, in 1613, it was double double toil and trouble. During a performance of Henry VIII , the thatched roof caught fire in a cauldron bubble and destroyed the building.

The theater vanished into thin air. It was the winter of Shakespeare’s discontent.

But the two fire exits allowed the company time to save its precious scripts and costumes. As night follows day, the theater was rebuilt within a year by a band of brothers with a giant’s strength.

It reopened in June 1614. And the theater had not lost her lustre.

The new Globe Theater had a much larger roof, more noble than the earth. It was tiled instead of thatched, to protect against fire. It was decorated inside in riotous colors, as was the fashion of the day for theaters.

In 1642, the Globe Theater was closed down by the Puritans during the Elizabethan era. The goatish Puritans thought entertainment had little value. They also didn’t like the gamblers, rogues, and prostitutes the theaters attracted.

actors rehearsing in the Globe Theater

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. Thus, the theater was eventually demolished. And the Puritans too, because no evil lost is wailed when it is gone.

The Wanamaker Plan

Enter Sam Wanamaker. He was an American actor-director who though it a form of treason that there was no proper commemorating monument to Shakespeare in London.

All he saw was a blackened sign on a brick wall saying “This is on or around where Shakespeare had his Globe.”

Dauntless and casting all doubt aside, Wanamaker was determined to recreate the Globe Theater. It became his lifelong obsession, dreamt of in his philosophy.

But English miscreants weren’t thrilled with an American intervening. Sharper than a serpent’s tooth, they grumbled “off with his head … we have seen better days.”

But ambition is made of sterner stuff and, with money, all ways lie open. It took over 27 years for Wanamaker’s idea to come to fruition.

ceilings in the Globe Theater

The project survived many a tempest. Methinks it had some wondering whether the new theater was to be or not to be. But Wanamaker taught green-eyed beasts to know their friends.

In the end, their outcry was all sound and fury, signifying nothing and achieving nothing.

As with any decent Shakespearean hero, Wanamaker died before the new theater was completed. While parting is such sweet sorrow, his building continued as he envisioned.

The New Globe Theater

Using Elizabethan building techniques, the architects re-created a 20 sided roofless theater. After an absence of nearly 400 years from London’s theater scene, the Globe Theater rose like a phoenix in 1997.

the recreated Globe Theater

Striving to thine own selves to be true, the architects embraced authenticity. Past is prologue, after all.

They kept the original whitewashed half timber walls, thatched roof crown, lime-plaster walls, and wooden seats. The thatched roof was the first one built since the Great Fire of London in 1666.

In an ode to modernity, it’s treated with fire retardant chemicals. Modern sprinklers also are set into the roof, proving men at some time are masters of their fate.

The Globe reconstruction essentially parallels a new trend in the arts. It’s an attempt to return to the original instruments and ways of staging, so that Shakespeare’s plays may be interpreted afresh.

With the exception, naturally, that women, the very sparkle of the right Promethean fire, now act on stage.

For safety reasons, the Globe now only seats 1,500 people.

replica of the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey

Does the Globe Theater we see today really look like it did in the 17th century?

What the dickens, that’s a ball of mingled yard too. Along with other enduring Shakespeare controversies — dubbed “Bardalotry” — there’s disagreement about his titular theater.

Much about the original theater remains shrouded in mystery, a smoke made with the fume of sighs. There are no surviving contemporaneous drawings.

The theater was roughly based on drawings of the Rose Theater, a theater that existed at the same time as the Globe. Though the Rose fell on ill fate with the Globe’s success, being shut like a book.

It’s known that Globe was in the shape of a polygon, like the Rose. How many sides in the polygon is a matter of an academic fight to the last gasp.

In the final analysis, preservationists did their best to recreate the drama and atmospherics of Shakespeare’s time. A rose by any other name smells just as sweet.

side seats for the aristocrats

Tickets & Tours For The Globe Theater

My dear readers, you can book guided tours  of the Globe Theater complex. On a tour, you’ll visit the open air theater, the box office, and the theater.

You can also book a Shakespeare-themed walking tour in London . Or a literary tour that includes the Globe and Charles Dickens House . The Globe is also free with the London Pass .

There are also 45 minute public tours that leave every 30 minutes. They leave from the column with the words “ Out Damn Spot ” from MacBeth on the first floor.

The storytelling guides vividly recount colorful stories of the Elizabethan playhouse, the London Shakespeare would have known, and the Globe reconstruction process in the 1990s.

On a tour, you’ll see the stage and various viewing areas for different classes of people. However, you can’t walk on the stage or see the dressing rooms.

You may even get lucky and see actors rehearsing their scenes. With the luck of the fair goddess Fortune, I was fortunate to see a fight scene from MacBeth.

hallways in the Globe Theater

Guide To The Globe Theater: What To See

In mine eye’s clear eye, here are the things to see on a visit to Shakespeare’s Globe Theater.

1. The Stage

There’s a rectangular wooden stage about 44.5 feet by 25 feet. The stage is supported by two pillars. As in the 17th century, they are painted to imitate red marble.

There are three entrances to the stage, with the largest one in the center. Pushing aside the saying that all that glisters is not gold, they went for historically accurate gaudy decorations and riotous color.

The entrances are framed by faux marble columns. On the second level, two gods from the classical world flank the stage. Apollo is stage right and Mercury is stage left.

The stage is stopped with a roof. The underside is painted. The design is taken from text about an Elizabethan theater in 1594.

In the center is a sunburst. It hides the trap door used for special effects. Signs of the zodiac are flanked by the sun and moon.

gentleman's seats with murals

2. Galleries

The theater boxes are on three levels, as were all playhouses back in the day.

The aristocrats’ seats were on the second level to the left and right of the stage. They’re not what we would think of as the best seats in the house. But, back then, people went to “hear” a play.

These seats also had the advantage of avoiding the heat of the sun that fell on seats opposite the stage. Plus, they were the best place for the glitterati to see and be seen.

Seats opposite the stage were for the everyday men and women. There were no bathrooms in the theater. My guide informed us that people would discretely pee in their seats and dump hazelnuts on the floor.

There was no limit on attendees. Everyone crammed in tightly.

There were standing spaces in the back of the gallery called the yard or pit. This was the cheapest part of the theater.

Attendees who stood there were called “groundlings” or sometimes “stinkers.” They are known for being loud, boisterous, and hot tempered. You can still be a groundling at the Globe today.

Wanamaker Playhouse

3. Sam Wanamaker Playhouse

Towards the end of his life, Shakespeare wrote plays that seemed intended to be performed indoors, like The Winter’s Tale and The Tempest .

So Wanamaker wanted both an outdoor theater and an indoor theater in his new complex.

But, as the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune would dictate, there was even less historical information about indoor theaters.

They decided to use plans found among the papers of 17th century architect Indigo Jones.

The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse , though modern, is most often lit by beeswax candles in seven chandeliers and in sconces off the pillars.

William Shakespeare monument in Westminster Abbey

4. Seeing A Play At The Globe Theater

Seeing a play at the Globe Theater is different in every way from your typical theater experience.

Consistent with the institutional mission, the plays are staged the same way they were in Shakespeare’s day. There are no stage sets, decor, microphones, spotlights, or other flashy pyrotechnics.

Under the “shared light” principle of Elizabethan times, the audience doesn’t sit in darkness. They are illuminated by the same light as the actors, creating a more intimate experience while they watch the players playing many parts.

At the end of the performance, when the jig is up, the actors don’t bow. Rather, in time honored tradition, there is a jig at the end of the gig.

The Globe offers up a true celebration of live performance, perhaps made more real in a time of virtual reality. As a bonus, the Globe’s ticket prices are lower than theaters in the West End.

From April to October, performances are in the Globe Theater. Concerts and plays take place in the Wanamaker Playhouse throughout the year.

Click here to see what’s on, if you want to attend a play.

box office of the Globe Theater

Practical Guide & Tips For Visiting Shakespeare’s Globe Theater

Address : 21 New Globe Walk

Hours : The box office is open daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Hours to visit the theater vary depending on whether there is a performance. So check the website .

Ticket Price :

£ 17.00 for a 45 minute guided tour. You can’t wander around on your own.

You have free admission with the London Pass . But you will have to take your pass to the box office and exchange it for a paper ticket to hand to your guide. Leave a bit of time for this process.

Cafe & Shop : You can get refreshments, snacks, or afternoon tea at the onsite Swan Cafe . The Globe Theater also has a wonderful bookshop stuffed with all sorts of Shakespeare paraphanalia and books.

Swan Cafe

Hop On Hop Off : The Globe is a stop on the hop on hop off river boat .

Tube Stations : London Bridge, St. Paul’s, Mansion House

Where To Stay Near The Globe Theater

If you want to stay near the Globe, which is near so many of London’s attractions, you have plenty of choices. The Bankside Hotel Autograph Collection is a luxury hotel less than a half mile from the globe.

Vintry & Mercer is a beautiful hotel just across the Millennium Bridge. Novotel London Bridge a chic spot nearby too.

And thereby hangs a tale. I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to visiting Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. But the game is up and I conclude now because brevity is the soul of wit.

You may enjoy these other London travel guides and resources:

  • 3 Day Itinerary for London
  • 5 Day Itinerary for London
  • Harry Potter Places in London
  • Guide to the National Gallery of Art
  • Guide to St. Paul’s Cathedral
  • Guide to the Tate Britain
  • Guide to Wesminster Abbey
  • London Tourist Traps To Avoid
  • Guide To Free Museums in London
  • Guide to the Tower of London
  • Guide to the Churchill War Rooms

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Last Updated on October 27, 2023 by Leslie Livingston

The Globe

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour

  • Outside the city

What you'll do

Situated on London’s Bankside, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre reconstructs the open-air playhouse where the playwright penned his greatest work.

Visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour with The London Pass®

  • Pay nothing at the door - simply show your pass.
  • Step inside Sam Wanamaker's faithful reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre.
  • Relive the enchantment of Shakespeare's plays in an authentic setting.
  • Take part in guided tours to discover the history and construction of this incredible building.

Explore this faithful recreation of William Shakespeare's iconic Globe Theatre: once the centre of London's famous Bankside entertainment district. It’s more than just a historical site; the Globe Theater London continues to function as a vibrant performing arts venue. Grab your tickets now to catch a play or join a guided tour.

What You Will See On Your Globe Theatre Tour

Walk-through Exhibition : The tour begins with a walk-through area where you can learn about Shakespeare's London and over 400 years of history. You can see displays of famous shows and even try on costumes and use props.

Globe Theatre Tour : After that, you'll enter the Globe Theatre. Knowledgeable guides will share the theatre's history with you, including how it survived events like the plague and fires, and how it was rebuilt in the 1990s.

Language and Age : The tour is in English but they've got info sheets in other languages. It's suitable for all ages, so it's a family-friendly activity.

Practical Info : The theatre is open-air, so dress appropriately for the weather. The total tour time is around 2 hours, with 50 minutes being guided and the rest being self-guided in the exhibition. Also, depending on what's happening on stage, you might have restrictions on taking photos.

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre history

The original Shakespeare's Globe is a reconstruction of Shakespeare's original Globe Theatre. It was built by the actor and director Sam Wanamaker close to the original site - just 230 metres away. More Globe Theatre Facts here !

Throughout the year, expert guides bring this extraordinary open-air theatre to life in a 50-minute Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour. You'll hear stories of the original Globe, learn all about its reconstruction process in the 1990s, and find out how the building works today as an experimental theatre space. Reserve your guided tour now and take the journey of a lifetime through theatre history. Take a seat 'within this wooden O' – listen, absorb and ask questions as the secrets of the Globe unfold.

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre highlights

  • A reconstruction of the original Elizabethan playhouse, built in 1599.
  • Take in an authentic timber frame building with an open-air stage.
  • For the authenticity of a Shakespearean play, there are no spotlights, microphones, speakers, or amplification. All music is performed live on period instruments. Experience this authentic setting by booking a performance ticket.

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre facts

  • Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets during his lifetime – this works out as an average of 1.5 plays a year since he first started writing in 1589.
  • As well as being a playwright, Shakespeare was an accomplished actor, family man, property owner, and manager of an acting company and theatre.
  • The original theatre burned down in 1613 because of a miss-fired cannon during a Henry VIII performance.
  • His plays are associated with the Elizabethan times, yet he created most of his popular works in the Jacobean era.
  • Although he was a famous playwright in London, in his hometown of Stratford, he was a well-known businessman and property owner.
  • Shakespeare put a curse on his epitaph at his grave in Stratford-upon-Avon. He dared anyone to move his bones to make room for more grave space. A common practice at the time.

Whether you’re a history enthusiast or a Shakespeare fan, the Globe Theatre in London and its tours provide an enchanting step back in time. So, if you find yourself in the area, don’t hesitate! Secure your tour tickets today and immerse yourself in the world of the Bard!

Know before you go

London Pass tips:

• Guided Tours depart every hour between times advertised. You can also contact their Ticketing & Sales Team between 10AM – 6PM Tuesday to Sunday to confirm tour times on Tel: 020 7401 9919. • We advise visitors arrive 15 minutes prior to tour departure. • Visitors need to arrive at the Guided Tours Entrance, opposite the river, and present your pass at the ticket desk. • There are 9 steps leading up on to the piazza where your guided tour will start from. Step-free and wheelchair access are available, please speak to a member of the team or contact our Ticketing & Sales Team prior to your visit. • As it is a working theatre, tour times vary due to performance schedules or sometimes take place during rehearsals (giving you an exclusive look at the rehearsal process!). • Guided Tours take place in all weathers. There is no dress code, but we recommend visitors wear appropriate clothing and footwear as tours take place outdoors.

Getting in:  present your pass at the admissions desks at the guided tours entrance. Passholders do not need to book, but you may be asked to wait until the next available slot.

Where you'll be

Map of location of attraction

21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London, GB

Operating hours

Guided tour times:

Monday - Saturday:  10AM (first tour) to 12PM (last tour) Sunday: 10AM (first tour) to 11AM (last tour)

Please visit the  Shakespeare's Globe website  for the most up-to-date information.

Closings & holidays

The Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour will be unavailable to passholders on the Janurary 15 & 18, 2024. 

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Free cancellation.

Plans can change, we get it. All non-activated credits packages are eligible for a refund within 90 days of your purchase date.

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Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Third time's a charm: the when, how, and why behind shakespeare's globe theatre.

  • In this section

Building the First Globe Theatre

The story of the Globe Theatre starts with William Shakespeare 's acting company The Lord Chamberlain's Men. Shakespeare was a part-owner, or sharer, in the company, as well as an actor and the resident playwright. From its inception in 1594, the Lord Chamberlain's Men performed at The Theatre, a playhouse located in Shoreditch. However, by 1598 their patrons, including the Earl of Southampton , had fallen out of favour with the Queen. The Theatre's landlord, Giles Alleyn, had intentions to cancel the company's lease and tear the building down.

While Alleyn did own the land, he did not own the materials with which The Theatre had been built. So, on 28 December 1598, after leasing a new site in Southwark, Cuthbert and Richard Burbage led the rest of the company of actors, sharers, and volunteers in taking the building down timber by timber, loading it on to barges, and making their way across the Thames. Working together, the actors built the new theatre as quickly as they could.

Shakespeare's Globe and the Thames. The painting shows the Globe theatre silhouetted on the left (looking more like a castle, with a very Turneresque yellow sky and vague buildings on the opposite bank of the river.

The ground on the new site was marshy and prone to flooding, but foundations were built by digging trenches, filling them with limestone, constructing brick walls above the stone, and then raising wooden beams on top of that. A funnel caught the rainwater and drained it into the ditch surrounding the theatre and down into the Thames.

The theatre was 30 metres in diameter and had 20 sides, giving it its perceived circular shape. The structure was similar to that of their old theatre, as well as that of the neighbouring bear garden. The rectangular stage, at five feet high, projected halfway into the yard and the circular galleries. The pillars were painted to look like Italian marble, the sky painted midnight blue, and images of the gods overlooked the balcony. It could hold up to 3,000 people.

By May 1599, the new theatre was ready to be opened. Burbage named it the Globe after the figure of Hercules carrying the globe on his back - for in like manner the actors carried the Globe's framework on their backs across the Thames. A flag of Hercules with the globe was raised above the theatre with the Latin motto 'totus mundus agit histrionem', or 'all the world's a playhouse'. 

Shakespeare's plays that were performed there early on included:  Henry V ,  Julius Caesar ,  As You Like It ,  Hamlet ,  Measure for Measure ,   Othello ,  King Lear ,  Macbeth , and  Antony and Cleopatra . Here the Lord Chamberlain's Men enjoyed much success and gained the patronage of King James I in 1603, subsequently becoming The King's Men.

Globe theatre fire. An impressionistic drawing, with a crowd milling around outside the theatre from which flames and a huge swirl of smoke are rising.

Disaster at the Globe

During the fateful performance of  Henry VIII   on 29 June 1613, the cannon announcing the unexpected arrival of the king at the end of Act 1 set fire to the thatched roof, and within an hour the Globe burned to the ground. Everyone escaped safely, save for one man whose breeches reportedly caught fire. Two different songs had been written about it by the next day.

The Globe was rebuilt by February 1614; the company could then afford to decorate it much more extravagantly, and it had a tiled roof instead of thatched. However, by this point Shakespeare's influence had lessened, and he was spending more and more time back in  Stratford-upon-Avon .

Disaster struck again in the 1642 when parliament ordered the closure of London theatres. In 1644-5 the Globe was destroyed and the land sold for building.

The interior of the modern Globe, showing the three levels of "boxes"  and the stage with  railing separating it from the pit.

Shakespeare's Globe Today

In 1970, an American actor and director Samuel Wanamaker set up the Shakespeare's Globe Trust to pursue his dream of reconstructing the original Globe Theatre. For what would be almost the next 30 years, he and his team worked and fought to obtain the permissions, funds, and research necessary for a project of this scope. 

Historians, scholars, and architects all worked together in their efforts to build the Globe in the same way the Lord Chamberlain's Men did, down to the green oak pillars and thatched roof. Their work and dreams were fulfilled when the new Globe Theatre opened in 1997, one street away from where the original stood. The Globe stands today as a living monument to Shakespeare, the greatest English playwright, home to productions of his plays and many other new ones every season.

Help keep Shakespeare's story alive

More like this, go behind the scenes, shakespeare's birthplace, anne hathaway's cottage.

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the Curious Pixie

Escape the Everyday

7 reasons to visit Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

On a warm summer’s day Mr S and I strolled along Bankside to my all time favourite theatre – The Globe. Even on my fourth visit the building never fails to impress. This time my eyes and ears would be feasting on Iqbal Khan’s production of  Macbeth,  a Scottish fable where in a nutshell – crime doesn’t pay.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre London

the globe theatre london visit

The power of watching Shakespeare in its near original surroundings is phenomenal. Scrap your memories of being forced to read the Bard’s work in your youth and experience the plays with fresh eyes and ears.

Reading Shakespeare is completely different from seeing it performed. Every year two hundred and fifty million people pass through these gates. Here are 7 reasons why…

7 reasons to visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

The visionary

The latest incarnation of Shakespeare’s Globe was founded by Sam Wanamaker an American actor and director. Construction began in 1993 and completed in 1997. Unfortunately Sam Wanamaker never got to see its glory, but you on the other hand can go and experience its magnificence. Not only a venue for Shakespeare’s works you can also enjoy a tour and exhibition on site.

7 reasons to visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

The Globe’s ticket prices are lower than most theatres in the city. This is a place where the cheapest tickets really are the best. The groundlings or standing tickets are a mere £5. Here you’ll be closest to all the action and maybe even lucky enough to stand beside a cast member whilst performing. Be warned though the performances are usually three hours long – leg and backache is a given. Speaking from experience sitting on a wooden pew for that length of time will also be testing.

7 reasons to visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Cushions are available for £1, which only delay the onslaught of bottom pain in my opinion – utterly worth it though!

7 reasons to visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Faithful to days of yonder

7 reasons to visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

All the productions at The Globe honour the traditions of four hundred years ago with music and sound effects being performed live. Being an open air venue the show goes on come rain or shine. No different to Shakespearian times, apart from the fact you can now buy disposable raincoats if the fickle British weather doesn’t play ball. One big change is the number of people The Globe holds. Today it fits half the number of the original Globe – 1,500. Safety regulations and people’s reluctance to squeeze in like sardines to blame.

7 reasons to visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

In 1613 the original Globe Theatre was burnt to the ground during a performance of Henry VIII . The thatched roof and wooden beams caught fire from a theatrical misfired cannon and amazingly there were no fatalities.

7 reasons to visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Today’s Globe Theatre is made from more than a 1000 oak trees all from our very own English forests. There are 6000 bundles of reeds in the thatch roof from Norfolk and the goats lent a helping hand too with their hair in the plaster mixture. Even the foundation bricks are copies from an actual tudor brick!

Written in the stars

7 reasons to visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

The Globe’s dimensions were dictated by the movement of the planets during the reign of Elizabeth I (1533-1603).

7 reasons to visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

And you may be surprised to now it’s not a circle, but in fact an icosagon commonly known as a 20-sided polygon.

Drama, Drama

7 reasons to visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

With so many of the audience standing, there is inevitably the occasional fainter during performances in the heat. In 2006 Lucy Bailey’s production of Titus Andronicus was so gruesome and gory they had a record breaking 15 fainters! Be that a lesson and remember your water bottle or prosecco ice pop in warmer climes!

7 reasons to visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

At the end of every performance there is no bowing. Instead they jig. It’s quite a sight watching the whole cast dancing faster and faster whilst the audience clap in time. A brilliant way to end an evening

Even if you don’t have a chance to see a production, seeing the beautiful building and experiencing the tours and exhibition is a wonderful day out.

Have you ever been to The Globe? Which Shakespearian play would you love to see?  Let me know in the comments box below.

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Shakespeare’s Globe | 21 New Globe Walk | Bankside | London | SE1 9DT

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7 reasons to visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

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18 comments.

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Visiting The Globe is absolutely on my bucket list! I’m so jealous of your experience. Your pictures are gorgeous!

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You’ll love it Amanda x

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How fun! That looks like a really neat place to visit!

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Very cool! I would love to visit. I still love the movie Shakepeare in Love!

Me too Linda, I could watch it on repeat.

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How did I not even know this place existed! We will def be visiting if we get the chance. Amazing…

Now you know…it will have to go on your bucket list Ruthie x

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Theatre is so amazing, would love to go there.Thanks for sharing all this reasons xoxo

https://theninebyivana.blogspot.com/

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Brilliant, nothing is more English than the Globe Theatre.

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I went once as a teenager – it is such a magical piece of history!

You’re right Katie. I love the place!

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this is amazing. I want to go here!

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How fun! I wanted to do this on our trip to London a couple years ago but we ran out of time. Hopefully next time!

You’ll def have to make it next time Rachel x

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This is literally right next door to my office! I hated Shakespeare at school but I think that’s because it was forced on me. I”m definitely keen to give it another go and it looks like the perfect place! xx

Lucky lady working Bankside. What a view!! Arching a good play at the globe will definitely re-shape your views on Shakespeare Maggie. You have no excuse working so close

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This looks amazing! I would love to visit. I was a big Shakespeare fan when I was in school and always loved the plays. This would be so cool to visit! xx Adaleta Avdic

I hope you get the chance Adeleta x

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Groundlings enjoy a close-up view of the action on stage in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare's Globe.

A world of superb theatre at Shakespeare’s Globe for just £5

Dramatic prices | Double declutching | Soho House tip | The ageing art of photo manipulation | Rothschild retort

I understand the concern about ticket prices for the theatre, but is it really “becoming the pursuit of a moneyed elite” ( Editorial, 1 March )? West End prices compare reasonably with Premier League football tickets, and you can still be a groundling for superb plays at Shakespeare’s Globe for just £5. Elaine Yeo Enfield, London

Zoe Williams ( Who will miss the manual car when it’s gone? Only the very smuggest drivers, 4 March ) is depriving herself of the deep satisfaction of smooth downward changes in a crash gearbox, necessitating the procedure known as double declutching – a dying art that I practice often in my 1970 Fiat 500. Dr Allan Dodds Nottingham

Re your article ( ‘It doesn’t feel special’: is Soho House a victim of its own success?, 5 March ), as a low-paid “creative” I went to the “exclusive” Soho House in its first years simply by following the best advice I’ve ever been given: forget expensive membership fees, just get to know the door staff. Worked every time. Nigel Robinson London

I’m no fan of artificial intelligence, but let’s keep criticism of this “resurgence of disinformation” in perspective ( AI-generated images of Trump with Black voters being spread by supporters, 4 March ). Photoshop has been manipulating images for more than 30 years. David Beake Sheringham, Norfolk

As a child, when I asked for something considered expensive, my parents would say: “Who do you think we are, the Rothschilds?” ( Lord Rothschild obituary, 4 March ). Helen Evans Ruthin, Denbighshire

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London theatre: the best musicals and plays to book now

L ondon has a world-leading theatre scene, offering everything from plays, musicals and comedy to immersive and family-friendly entertainment. In the West End, and beyond, you’ll find both beloved long-running shows and cutting-edge new work, featuring A-list actors alongside rising stars. 

If you’re trying to decide which are the best theatre shows in London to start with in 2024, our expert Telegraph critics can help you choose with their incisive reviews. All the latest articles are at Telegraph Theatre . Plus we’ve rounded up the best family shows and the best shows for half term .

You can also find discounted tickets on Telegraph Tickets for all of the capital’s best plays and musicals, such as Hamilton, Les Miserables, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and The Book of Mormon.

Check out our top picks of London theatre shows below and get booking.

The best London shows, at a glance

  • Best supernatural thrills – Stranger Things
  • Best treat for the whole family – My Neighbour Totoro
  • Best star-studded backstage drama – The Motive and the Cue
  • Best excitingly outrageous comedy – The Book of Mormon
  • Best joyful immersive musical – Guys & Dolls

Till the Stars Come Down, National Theatre ★★★★★

In a nutshell:  “We get that rare thing, a family drama about the white working-class today, taking in the impact of immigration, plus love, death and the whole complex kaboodle of getting through life.” Read the full review

Booking until: Mar 16

Book tickets via Telegraph tickets

Hir, Park Theatre ★★★

In a nutshell:  “Felicity Huffman is a force of nature in her post-jail comeback...  In Taylor Mac’s wild satire of contemporary America she plays a housewife, not so much desperate as gleefully unhinged.” Read the full review

Double Feature, Hampstead Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “John Logan’s witty new play turns Alfred Hitchcock and Tippi Hedren’s power struggles into edge-of-seat entertainment.” Read the full review

My Neighbour Totoro, Barbican ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Totoro is magnificently humongous with a mighty, reverberating growl, wicked smile, lumbering walk and bouncy castle of a fluffy tum. The wow-factor of his spectacular appearances is worth the price of admission alone.” Read the full review

Booking until: Mar 23

The Motive and the Cue, Noel Coward Theatre ★★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Mark Gatiss, giving the performance of his career, eerily summons the spirit, at once humble and haughty, professorial and playful, genteel and prickly, of John Gielgud.” Read the full review

The Merchant of Venice 1936, Criterion Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell: “Tracy-Ann Oberman’s timely passion project – which moves Shakespeare’s tragedy to London – feels deeply relevant in 2024.” Read the full review

Macbeth, Dock X ★★★★

In a nutshell: “It’s Ralph Fiennes’s night. He’s perturbed and furrowed, decisive then vacillating... agitated after Duncan’s murder, and something truly horrid gleams in his gaze as he plots Banquo’s death.” Read the full review

Booking until: Mar 30

Just For One Day, Old Vic ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “This rip-roaring, nostalgia-stirring new juke-box musical re-tells the story of the Live Aid concert that held the world in fundraising thrall, using many of the songs heard on that sun-kissed day.” Read the full review

King Lear, Almeida Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Yaël Farber’s production works on the audience like a haunting, the play’s nearly every element gleaming anew... This is a mighty, soul-pummelling evening.” Read the full review

Bronco Billy, Charing Cross Theatre 

In a nutshell: This madcap musical comedy, based on a cult Clint Eastwood film, is rootin’-tootin’ Wild West fun-meets-soap opera plotting and sweet romance. Emily Benjamin, Tarinn Callender  and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt star.

Booking until: Apr 7

An Enemy of the People, Duke of York’s Theatre ★★★

In a nutshell: “Matt Smith’s Dr Stockmann has integrity and fearlessness, but also a rebel’s alienating arrogance, qualities both in evidence when he unleashes a damning societal critique.” Read the full review

Booking until: Apr 13

Othello, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse ★★★

In a nutshell:  “This sparklingly clear, at times thrillingly pacy production convincingly argues that Othello is as much a play about men who kill women as it is about race.” Read the full review

Plaza Suite, Savoy Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Starring opposite her real-life husband, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker is terrific entertainment value... She offers immaculate room-service as she delivers polished rounds of rueful wisecracks.” Read the full review

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Theatre Royal Haymarket ★★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Inhabiting all 26 characters, Succession star Sarah Snook’s one-woman take on the Oscar Wilde tale is a chameleonic tour de force. Bravo.” Read the full review

The Duchess of Malfi, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse

In a nutshell:  Rachel Bagshaw directs John Webster’s seminal revenge tragedy in the Globe’s candlelit indoor space, 10 years after this play about a woman in a male-dominated world opened the Sam Wanamaker. 

Booking until: Apr 14

Nachtland, Young Vic ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Jane Horrocks hits the deadpan target in this black comedy about Hitler’s art... it’s like a Mel Brooks spin on Antiques Roadshow.” Read the full review

Booking until: Apr 20

A Mirror, Trafalgar Theatre

In a nutshell: Sam Holcroft’s surprising, witty and provocative riff on censorship and free speech transfers from the Almeida. Jeremy Herrin directs Jonny Lee Miller, Tanya Reynolds, Geoffrey Streatfeild and Samuel Adewunmi.

Red Pitch, @sohoplace ★★★★

In a nutshell: “Football, gentrification and manhood might be the hooks on which Tyrell Williams’s play hangs, but at its core, it’s about the vagaries of friendship.” Read the full review

Booking: Mar 15-May 4

For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy, Garrick Theatre ★★★★★

In a nutshell: “A feelgood show that plumbs the depths,and a choral cry to be heard that leaves you inspired not browbeaten... A landmark moment in West End theatre.” Read the full review

Booking until: May 4

The Book of Mormon, Prince of Wales Theatre ★★★★★

In a nutshell:  “This wild, thrilling, go-for-broke, genuinely hilarious musical comedy remains one of the funniest shows in the West End... I’m a believer!” Read the full review

Booking until: May 18

Minority Report, Lyric Hammersmith 

In a nutshell: Philip K Dick’s sci-fi novella (turned into a blockbuster movie by Steven Spielberg) is adapted for stage by David Haig, directed by Max Webster. The central character becomes a leading female neuroscientist.

Booking: Apr 19-May 18

Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Piccadilly Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell: “The tireless company romps through Sonya Tayeh’s adrenaline and libido-fuelled choreography... This is beguilingly transporting, all-enveloping theatre.”  Read the full review

Machinal, Old Vic 

In a nutshell:  Richard Jones’s powerful revival of Sophie Treadwell’s play, based on a shattering real-life crime story, transfers from the Theatre Royal Bath. Rosie Sheehy reprises her phenomenal performance.

Booking: Apr 11-Jun 1

Nye, National Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Rufus Norris and his creative team attain a pulse-quickening theatricality, the ensemble as tightly drilled as an A&E team... Michael Sheen is in his element here too.” Read the full review

Booking until: Jun 1

Mrs Doubtfire, Shaftesbury Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Never doubt I love Mrs Doubtfire, the feelgood but not fluffy-minded musical that has pitched up at the newly made-over Shaftesbury Theatre... A sure-fire hit, my dears.” Read the full review

Booking until: Jun 2

The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell: “Watching the show alongside my rapt children, I was struck by how much it succeeds in speaking to the heart rather than the head... A deeply felt celebration of life.”  Read the full review

Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Wyndham’s Theatre 

In a nutshell: Succession’s Brian Cox inhabits another flawed patriarch heading up a dysfunctional family in Jeremy Herrin’s all-star Eugene O’Neill revival. The cast also features Patricia Clarkson, Anthony Boyle and Daryl McCormack.

Booking: Mar 19-Jun 8

The Hills of California, Harold Pinter Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “How do we face the loss of someone very close to us, who has damaged us?...It’s smart, ambitious fare, no question, the cast serve it with aplomb, and the final half-hour works like a dream.” Read the full review

Booking until: Jun 15

MJ The Musical, Prince Edward Theatre 

In a nutshell:  This hit Broadway musical telling the story of Michael Jackson features a book by Pulitzer winner Lynn Nottage and is directed/choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. Tony-winning star Myles Frost reprises his lead role.

Booking: Mar 6-Jun 22

Player Kings, Noel Coward Theatre 

In a nutshell: Ian McKellen stars as Falstaff in Robert Icke’s keenly anticipated new version of two great Shakespeare history plays – Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2.

Booking: Apr 1-Jun 22

Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Phoenix Theatre ★★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Netflix gives the West End its event of the year... The jaw-dropping coups range from the infernal, supernatural engulfing of a hulking US battle-ship to acts of levitation.” Read the full review

Booking until: Jun 30

Two Strangers (carry a cake across New York), Criterion Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “With its transatlantic romcom premise, this new musical has definite shades of Richard Curtis... Sam Tutty and Dujonna Gift have contrasting but beautifully complementary voices, just like their opposites-attract characters.” Read the full review

Booking: Apr 4-Jul 14

Spirited Away, London Coliseum 

In a nutshell: The acclaimed stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s animation masterpiece, directed by John Caird (Les Miserables), transfers from Japan to the Coliseum. Could this match the success of My Neighbour Totoro?

Booking: Apr 30-Jul 20

Opening Night, Gielgud Theatre 

In a nutshell: This intriguing new musical version of John Cassavetes’ film about a Broadway leading lady battling offstage drama has a dynamite team: actress Sheridan Smith, musician Rufus Wainwright, and director Ivo van Hove.

Booking: Mar 6-Jul 27

Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Gillian Lynne Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell: “The West End transfer of this musical about a Sheffield estate offers rare emotional and intellectual ambition – and deserves to be a huge hit.” Read the full review

Booking until: Aug 3

Romeo and Juliet, Duke of York’s Theatre

In a nutshell: Tom Holland, aka Marvel’s Spider-Man, swaps web-slinging for Shakespeare in Jamie Lloyd’s new West End production. Holland was last seen on stage in the title role of Billy Elliot The Musical.

Booking: May 11-Aug 3

Fangirls, Lyric Hammersmith

In a nutshell:  This Australian pop musical phenomenon hits the UK, telling the story of a teenage girl’s love for a boyband – plus friendships, coming of age, and a fantastic night out.

Booking: Jul 13-Aug 24

A Chorus Line, Sadler’s Wells

In a nutshell:  God I hope I get it! The thrilling backstage musical about a group of disparate performers auditioning for a Broadway show is back in town, and, with its incredible dance routines, it’s still one singular sensation.

Booking: Jul 31-Aug 25

Sister Act, Dominion Theatre ★★★

In a nutshell:  “Beverley Knight is a class act... The musical’s shrewd creative stroke is to shift the action to the 1970s, so that it is pounding with soul and disco music.” Read the full review

Booking: Mar 15-Aug 31

Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre ★★★★★ 

In a nutshell: “Nicholas Hytner’s box of tricks, the Bridge, unleashes the show all around you if you’re one of the 380 punters standing in the thick of it... It’s an extravaganza that explodes every which way.” Read the full review

Booking until: Aug 31

Frozen the Musical, Theatre Royal Drury Lane ★★★★★

In a nutshell: “It’s pure West End spectacle, exactly what you want for a production likely to be many kids’ first experience of theatre, and told with a blazing passion that is surprisingly affecting.”  Read the full review

Booking until: Sept 8

The Mousetrap, St Martin’s Theatre

In a nutshell:  The longest-running play in the world, Agatha Christie’s fiendish murder mystery has been bamboozling audiences since 1952. Can you match wits with the Queen of Crime and figure out whodunit?

Booking until: Sept 14

Next to Normal, Wyndham’s Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “A tale of a mother grappling with bipolar disorder may be an unusual premise for a rock musical, but Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt’s show proves an unstoppable force... Moving and gut-wrenching.” Read the full review

Booking: Jun 8-Sept 21

Fawlty Towers, Apollo Theatre

In a nutshell:  John Cleese is adapting three classic episodes of his peerless sitcom into a West End play. The cast is led by Adam Jackson-Smith, Anna-Jane Casey, Hemi Yeroham, Victoria Fox and Paul Nicholas.

Booking: May 4-Sept 28

Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre ★★★★★

In a nutshell:  “An absolute knockout... With its combination of all-encompassing decadent beauty and thunderous moral force, there’s simply nothing else in town quite like it.” Read the full review

Booking until: Sept 28

Les Miserables, Sondheim Theatre ★★★★★

In a nutshell:  “In its density and epic ambition, its mixture of high-powered ideas and gut-wrenching emotions, it’s a show that feels lastingly revolutionary.” Read the full review

Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre ★★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Lin-Manuel Miranda’s construction is just a marvel – one of the artistic wonders of the world... History is made to feel risky, uncertain and fresh: young people fumbling their way towards freedom.” Read the full review

Mamma Mia!, Novello Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell: “Phyllida Lloyd’s slick production is still a tremendous crowd-pleaser... Buoyed by Abba’s enduring brilliance, it’s a welcome shot of pure sunshine.” Read the full review

The Phantom of the Opera, Her Majesty’s Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “It’s the slew of coups de théâtre, the no-nonsense pacing and the gorgeous spectacles that make this tale of a disfigured man of musical genius lurking beneath the Paris Opera House so effective.” Read the full review

Witness for the Prosecution, London County Hall ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Not just a whodunit, but a wheredunit... Agatha Christie’s bravura twisty plotting is still second to none. Combined with the inspired use of an historic location, it’s criminally entertaining.”  Read the full review

Booking until: Sept 29

Mean Girls, Savoy Theatre

In a nutshell:  The Broadway musical version of Tina Fey’s peerless high-school film comedy (which featured Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried and Amy Poehler) hits the West End.

Booking: Jun 5-Oct 27

Six, Vaudeville Theatre ★★★★★

In a nutshell:  “This infectiously fun production is packed with witty touches... A heart-warming, air-punching finale has everyone up on their feet. I expect these queens to rule the West End for years to come.”  Read the full review

Booking until: Nov 3

Operation Mincemeat, Fortune Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “What this inspired musical about the 1943 wartime deception has in winning spades is a Pythonesque delight in irreverence that doesn’t short-change the intellect.” Read the full review

Booking until: Nov 16

ABBA Voyage, ABBA Arena ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “It’s a mind-blowing hi-tech celebration of some of the greatest pop music ever made, delivered as if you are up close and personal with legendary superstars...albeit in a virtual spaceship in another dimension.” Read the full review

Booking until: Nov 25

Matilda The Musical, Cambridge Theatre ★★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Matthew Warchus’s thrilling, warm-hearted production, exuberantly designed by Rob Howell and with pin-sharp choreography by Peter Darling, constantly combines comedy with a sense of wonder.”  Read the full review

Booking until: Dec 15

Wicked, Apollo Victoria Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Joe Mantello’s production has satisfyingly old-school bombast: instead of screens, its impact comes from the detailed, fabulously over-the-top steampunk design. The orchestra is the biggest in the West End – and it shows.” Read the full review

Dr Strangelove, Noel Coward Theatre 

In a nutshell:  Steve Coogan leads this new theatrical adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s jet-black comic masterpiece about a rogue general triggering a nuclear crisis, brought to the stage by Armando Iannucci and Sean Foley.

Booking: Oct 8-Dec 21

Back to the Future: The Musical, Adelphi Theatre ★★★★★

In a nutshell: “Thanks to video and illusionist wizardry, the steam-spouting DeLorean skids into view from nowhere and takes off over the stalls, achieving a kind of 3D Hollywood magic... A feelgood triumph.”  Read the full review

Booking until: Dec 22

Hadestown, Lyric Theatre ★★★

In a nutshell: “The show is imbued with a passionate sense that here is a tale worth hearing and that something happens in the act of shared story-telling that’s akin to Orpheus’ fabled way with a lyre: everyone in earshot gets spellbound.” Read the full review

Magic Mike Live, Hippodrome Casino

In a nutshell:  “‘I wanted to create a space where men really listened to women,’ says creator Channing Tatum. What emerges is undoubtedly entertaining and one of the best fun nights London has to offer.” Read the full article

Booking until: Jan 5, 2025

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Palace Theatre ★★★★★ 

In a nutshell: “British theatre hasn’t known anything like it for decades and I haven’t seen anything directly comparable in all my reviewing days... It raises the benchmark for family entertainment.”  Read the full review

Booking until: Mar 2, 2025

The Play That Goes Wrong, Duchess Theatre ★★★★

In a nutshell:  “Seldom has disaster delivered so many belly laughs... This spoof am-dram staging of an Agatha Christie whodunit is the perfect recipe for absurd slapstick.” Read the full review

Booking until: May 4, 2025

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre ★★★★★ 

In a nutshell: “An Anglo-American triumph. It combines the aesthetic finesse of British director Phyllida Lloyd with the political instincts of Memphis-born, Olivier-nominated playwright Katori Hall.” Read the full review

Booking until: May 31, 2025

The Devil Wears Prada, Dominion Theatre 

In a nutshell:  The fabulously fashionable fable, a thinly veiled takedown of Vogue editor Anna Wintour, has become a stage musical with songs by Elton John. Vanessa Williams stars.

Booking: Oct 24-May 31, 2025

Frequently asked questions

How do i find what’s on in the west end.

London has a fantastic mix of long-running shows, like Wicked, Matilda and The Play That Goes Wrong, and new productions. We will be constantly updating this page with top picks for the best London musicals and plays from our critics, so keep checking back to see all of the latest reviews and recommendations of upcoming theatre shows. 

You can also find a range of reviews, interviews and preview features at Telegraph Theatre .

How much is the average West End ticket?

West End ticket prices vary depending on the seating and the venue. You can usually find some cheap ticket for London shows from around £20, up to £60 for seats closer to the stage, and then some premium pricing of £100 or more for the very best seats in the house. However, there are also great West End discounts to be found – check out Telegraph Tickets for all the current London ticket deals.

What are the newest West End shows?

Some of the latest additions to London’s West End include the acclaimed stage adaptation of A Little Life, starring James Norton; British wartime musical Operation Mincemeat; and the glorious toe-tapping musical Crazy For You. Book tickets for all the best new shows now. 

Can I change the date/time of my theatre show ticket?

Many theatres have a policy whereby once you’ve booked a ticket, you cannot cancel it or change it to another date. However, it does vary: some venues are able to be more flexible about this, especially if it’s a sold-out show. Check the terms and conditions on the website where you booked, or call the box office.

What is the best way to travel to the theatre?

If you’re seeing a show in the West End, the easiest way to get to the theatre is usually by public transport. Traffic tends to get very busy in the centre of London, especially around rush hour. There are numerous Tube stations close to West End theatres, such as Charing Cross, Leicester Square, Piccadilly and Tottenham Court Road, servicing Tube lines like the Central, Piccadilly, Northern and Jubilee. Visit the TfL website to plan your route. You can also try buses (although they’re slower moving at rush hour), or if the weather is pleasant, walking or cycling.

Can I bring my child to a theatre performance not specifically for children?

Many shows have specific age recommendations and won’t admit younger children – you can find that information in our family theatre guide or on booking websites for productions, like Telegraph Tickets . Those recommendations are made based on the content and any potentially scary, disturbing or mature elements. However, each child is different, so it’s also up to parents to decide whether their child can cope with a particular show. Think about the story, the production elements (like loud noises), and the length – even adults may struggle with longer shows!

Do theatre performances have age ratings?

Yes, they do. Just like films, theatre shows have recommended age ratings – normally suggesting a minimal age for audience members, like 6+, and asking that any children by accompanied by adults. We’ve got age recommendations for all family-friendly shows in our family theatre guide and on the Telegraph Tickets booking site, and you can also find that information on individual theatre websites or by calling the box office.

How do I book theatre tickets for a large group of people?

Lots of theatre websites will offer help and advice for group bookings – some even have dedicated box office phone lines. In fact, it can be a great way to get a good deal on tickets or to book cheap tickets for big shows. Plus it’s fun to do a group outing with lots of friends or family members. Check out all the latest shows that would suit group bookings on Telegraph Tickets .

What items can’t I bring to the theatre?

Nearly all theatres, particularly in the West End, operate bag checks on entry. Security officials will be checking for any dangerous items – so potential weapons or other sharp objects, fireworks or pyrotechnics, or hazardous substances. Most also prohibit you from bringing in drugs or alcohol, and some prefer you not to bring in outside food or drink (other than sealed bottles of water), since they provide both in the theatre. Some venues also ask you not to bring large bags. You can find the latest information on theatre websites.

Can I still watch the performance if I am late?

Generally yes – ushers will tend to wait until an appropriate time in the production, like a scene change, to show you to your seats. If you’re really late, some theatres might ask you to watch the remainder of that first half on a screen just outside the auditorium, and then you can enter after the interval. If you are on time but your companion is running late, you should be able to leave their ticket with the box office.

What is the difference between stalls, grand circle and dress circle seats?

Stalls tickets mean you are seated on the ground level of the theatre, with seats beginning right next to the stage and extending to the back. These tend to be the more expensive tickets, since you’re closest to the action. The dress circle is one level up. Seats here are usually a bit cheaper, but you can still get a great view from the dress circle: it tends to extend over the back half of the stalls, and it’s particularly good for something like a musical with big song-and-dance numbers since you have an aerial view of the whole stage. 

The grand circle is another level up, so this is usually where you find the cheap tickets. However, grand circle seats can be a great deal – you might not have the best sightlines, but you still feel like part of the show, and for less. So, if you want the best guaranteed seats, central stalls or near the front of the dress circle is best. But if you’re looking for cheap tickets, grand circle is a good pick.

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the globe theatre london visit

William Shakespeare

Special project

the globe theatre london visit

Shakespeare's Globe

2 hours 51 minutes with one intermission

Intermission

the globe theatre london visit

11 March, Monday

19:30 Formula Kino na Polezhaevskoy

Language: english, russian subtitles

the globe theatre london visit

The History of the World: Nixon visits Moscow

The history of the world: sixth edition.

  • May 22 nd 2013
22 May 1972 The following is a brief extract from The History of the World: Sixth Edition by J.M. Roberts and O.A. Westad.

In October 1971 the UN General Assembly had recognized the People’s Republic as the only legitimate representative of China in the United Nations, and expelled the representative of Taiwan. This was not an outcome the United States had anticipated until the crucial vote was taken. The following February, there took place a visit by Nixon to China that was the first visit ever made by an American president to mainland Asia, and one he described as an attempt to bridge ‘sixteen thousand miles and twenty-two years of hostility.’

the globe theatre london visit

When Nixon followed his Chinese trip by becoming also the first American president to visit Moscow (in May 1972), and this was followed by an interim agreement on arms limitation – the first of its kind – it seemed that another important change had come about. The stark, polarized simplicities of the Cold War were blurring, however doubtful the future might be.

Reprinted from THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD: Sixth Edition by J.M. Roberts and O.A. Westad with permission from Oxford University Press, Inc. Copyright © 2013 by O.A. Westad.

J. M. Roberts CBE died in 2003. He was Warden at Merton College, Oxford University, until his retirement and is widely considered one of the leading historians of his era. He is also renowned as the author and presenter of the BBC TV series ‘The Triumph of the West’ (1985). Odd Arne Westad edited the sixth edition of The History of the World . He is Professor of International History at the London School of Economics. He has published fifteen books on modern and contemporary international history, among them ‘The Global Cold War,’ which won the Bancroft Prize.

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    Book in advance for Shakespeare's Globe's Summer Season, which includes a series of Shakespearean plays in the open-air theatre every summer, from May until October. During winter, you can see performances at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, an indoor theatre named after the founder of Shakespeare's Globe. Built in the Jacobean style, its ...

  6. The Ultimate Guide to visiting the Shakespeares Globe

    Mon - Frid: 11.00am-6.00pm. Sat: 10.00am-6.00pm. Sun: 10.00am-5.00pm. Time Needed: 2,5 hours. Price: £20. Nestled near the Tate Modern and the Millennium Bridge, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre may seem a little out of place. It was, after all, designed after the original Globe Theatre which was built in 1599, (and then later rebuilt in ...

  7. What's On

    Shakespeare's Globe Story & Tour2 March - 31 October 2024. Othello2 March - 13 April 2024. The Duchess of Malfi3 March - 14 April 2024. SEE MORE EVENTS. VISIT Plan your visit. Access. OPENING HOURS. Food & Drink. Getting here.

  8. Virtual tour

    VIRTUAL TOUR. Everyone, no matter where they are in the world, can now walk around Shakespeare's Globe with our virtual tour and 360 iOS app. Use this page or download the app to tour the Globe Theatre from the comfort of your own home. Our interactive 360 degrees virtual tour uses photos, videos and audible wonder to guide you along the way.

  9. The Globe: Tips, Info, And Visitor Guide For 2020 • Secret London

    For some 500 years, London has been a thriving hotbed of theatre, filling the playhouses with the work of playwrights new and old. In terms of sheer spectacle though, nowhere can best The Globe, the stunning replica of an Elizabethan playhouse that premiered many of Shakespeare's best-loved works.Famed for their outdoor performances of The Bard's classics, an evening at The Globe is a ...

  10. Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London: The Complete Guide

    Shakespeare's Globe. Address. 21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT, UK. Phone +44 20 7401 9919. Web Visit website. When Shakespeare's Globe opened in 1997 it was the first thatch-roofed building permitted in the British capital since the Great Fire of London in 1666. Today this historically accurate, open-air recreation of the theater where ...

  11. Venues: Shakespeare's Globe

    Situated on the bank of the River Thames alongside Bankside's Cultural Quarter, Shakespeare's Globe is the place to be for productions of the Bard's work, welcoming thousands of visitors to experience internationally renowned Shakespeare productions every day. The original Globe Theatre opened in 1599. A short walk from the National ...

  12. Shakespeare's Globe Guided Tours

    The iconic Globe Theatre is a faithful reconstruction of the open-air playhouse in which Shakespeare worked, and for which he wrote many of his most famous plays. Expert guide-storytellers provide a fascinating 50-minute tour of the Globe Theatre auditorium, vividly recreating colourful stories of the 1599 Playhouse, the London Shakespeare would have known and explaining the Globe ...

  13. Guide To Shakespeare's Globe Theater In London

    Using Elizabethan building techniques, the architects re-created a 20 sided roofless theater. After an absence of nearly 400 years from London's theater scene, the Globe Theater rose like a phoenix in 1997. Striving to thine own selves to be true, the architects embraced authenticity. Past is prologue, after all.

  14. Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour

    Situated on London's Bankside, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre reconstructs the open-air playhouse where the playwright penned his greatest work. Visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour with The London Pass® Pay nothing at the door - simply show your pass. Step inside Sam Wanamaker's faithful reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre.

  15. Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

    The story of the Globe Theatre starts with William Shakespeare 's acting company The Lord Chamberlain's Men. Shakespeare was a part-owner, or sharer, in the company, as well as an actor and the resident playwright. From its inception in 1594, the Lord Chamberlain's Men performed at The Theatre, a playhouse located in Shoreditch.

  16. Shakespeare's Globe Review (2024): Is it Worth It?

    Location. Shakespeare's Globe is located at 21 New Globe Walk, SE1 9DT. In other words, it's in South London, on the bank of the Thames River, and in the Bankside Cultural Quarter. Note: The Globe is very close to the Tate Modern and also within walking distance (10 minutes) of Borough Market and Southwark Cathedral, so you can easily make ...

  17. 7 reasons to visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

    Shakespeare's Globe Theatre London. The power of watching Shakespeare in its near original surroundings is phenomenal. Scrap your memories of being forced to read the Bard's work in your youth and experience the plays with fresh eyes and ears. Reading Shakespeare is completely different from seeing it performed.

  18. Why You Must Visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London

    The Globe's ticket prices are lower than most in the city, but the quality is even better. While this is true for most shows, the actors at the Globe really know how to project and articulate. Moreover, they act towards all sides of the theatre, and move around frequently, but not excessively. This means that even if a pillar would be in the ...

  19. A world of superb theatre at Shakespeare's Globe for just £5

    West End prices compare reasonably with Premier League football tickets, and you can still be a groundling for superb plays at Shakespeare's Globe for just £5. Elaine Yeo. Enfield, London.

  20. London theatre: the best musicals and plays to book now

    London has a world-leading theatre scene, offering everything from plays, musicals and comedy to immersive and family-friendly entertainment. In the West End, and beyond, you'll find both ...

  21. Aliona Adrianova

    ALIONA ADRIANOVA IS A PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER BASED IN LONDON. EDUCATED AS AN ECONOMIST IN KIEV, AND HAVING PURSUED AN EARLY CAREER IN FINANCE IN LONDON, ALIONA QUICKLY DISCOVERED HER TRUE PERSONALITY AND CALLING AS AN ARTIST. AFTER GRADUATING FROM ART SCHOOL SHE DEVELOPED A STRONG INTEREST IN PHOTOGRAPHY, ENGAGING PARTICULARLY WITH THE IDEA OF ...

  22. To Moscow with Love

    This pop up theatre production takes some of the great Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov's characters and puts them in unfamiliar settings. [Foreign Affairs]'s pr

  23. Globe: Henry VIII

    The Tudor Court is locked in a power struggle between its nobles and the Machiavellian Cardinal Wolsey, the King's first minister and the most conspicuous symbol of Catholic power in the land. Wolsey's ambition knows no bounds and when his chief ally, Queen Katherine, interferes in the King's romance with Anne Bullen (Miranda Raison), he brings gigantic ruin upon himself, the Queen, and ...

  24. The History of the World: Nixon visits Moscow

    When Nixon followed his Chinese trip by becoming also the first American president to visit Moscow (in May 1972), and this was followed by an interim agreement on arms limitation - the first of its kind - it seemed that another important change had come about. The stark, polarized simplicities of the Cold War were blurring, however doubtful ...