Third Visit to England: Shakespeare Part (3): Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and Riverside, South Bank Tour (Continued)

During my first visit to England in 2017, I visited the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on the banks of the River Thames. I chose Saturday to avoid traffic congestion and used the London Pass all day: Starting early from the Pullman London St Pancras Hotel, I waited for the bus and sightseeing bus at the nearby stop called "King's Cross Station", and boarded the Golden Tours hop-on hop-off one-day double-decker bus with the pass. First, I got off at St Paul's Cathedral to view its exterior, then transferred to the next bus to "Shakespeare's Globe Theatre stop", walking along the Thames riverbank to the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre for a visit. Then I took the sightseeing bus from the same stop to the Royal Albert Hall and Kensington Palace, and finally took the sightseeing bus back to the hotel.

Photo: Bus and sightseeing bus "Shakespeare's Globe Theatre stop".

Photo: The Millennium Bridge stretches across the Thames like a white line, reaching the Tate Modern (black chimney, green glass roof) converted from a power station on the south bank. The black-roofed, white-walled circular building near the Millennium Bridge is the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

Photo: Shakespeare lived during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a time when the British Empire defeated the Spanish "Invincible Armada" and maritime trade flourished, as well as the Renaissance movement extending from continental Europe to England.

Photo: A map of the Bankside in Shakespeare's time. Buildings were on London Bridge; this type of construction still survives in Florence, Italy.

Photo: The Vecchio Bridge on the Arno River in Florence, Italy, built in 1345. Taken in 2015, appended here for your enjoyment.

Photo: Jewelry and antique shops line the Vecchio Bridge.

Photo: Oil painting: A grand banquet at Bermondsey on the Thames during Shakespeare's time. The same-named market is still thriving today.

Photo: In winter, due to the narrow arches of London Bridge causing slow water flow, the Thames had thick ice, making ice activities lively.

Photo: A 1600 map of the Bankside. At the bottom are four circular structures—three are the Swan Theatre, the Rose Theatre (built in 1587), and the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare's plays were conceived; one is a bear-baiting arena, akin to a street performer's monkey show.

Photo: A sketch of the interior of the Swan Theatre in Shakespeare's time.

Photo: This panel introduces the Rose Theatre. Its remains were discovered in 1989 and preserved in a water-filled pit, which can be visited with a guide.

Photo: A restored model of the Rose Theatre, with thatched roof and three tiers of gallery seating. Some of its features recall scenes from *Romeo and Juliet* and *The Merchant of Venice*.

Photo: This beautiful painting—is it an imagined scene of the Globe Theatre being destroyed by fire on June 29, 1613, during a performance of *Henry VIII*?

Photo: Chronology of the Globe Theatre and the Rose Theatre.

Photo: The replica Globe Theatre built in 1997.

Photo: The basement and sub-basement of the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre house exhibition halls on its history and present. A tree in the center marks the staircase.

Photo: A signpost to the stage on the sub-basement level, indicating guided tours—unfortunately, we were unaware of this option and missed the chance to visit the performance area.

Photo: A live performance at the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, striving to replicate Shakespearean staging.

Photo: A statue of Shakespeare.

Photo: Portrait of Shakespeare. Below seems to be a photo of a collection of Shakespeare's plays.

Photo: Portrait of Shakespeare.

Photo: Young Shakespeare?

Photo: Londoners of the time were fascinated by theatre, and Shakespeare and his colleagues shone. Most of them attended university; Shakespeare missed the opportunity because he was married, but over more than twenty years of work, he averaged one and a half great plays per year.

Photo: A cartoon of Shakespeare's plays.

Photo: Shakespeare's will before his death in 1616, containing three of his signatures—the only surviving handwriting of Shakespeare. Due to the lack of manuscripts or letters, it has raised doubts over four centuries.

Photo: In 1949, young American actor Sam Wanamaker came to London to search for the Globe Theatre and found only this bronze plaque embedded in the wall of a brewery.

Photo: Model of the original Globe Theatre. In 1970, Sam Wanamaker founded the Shakespeare Globe Trust to raise funds to rebuild the Globe Theatre.

Photo: Model of the proposed interior of the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

Photo: Model of the proposed Globe Theatre and photo of Sam Wanamaker beside the model.

Photo: Portrait of Sam Wanamaker.

Photo: In 1993, the first performance of *The Merry Wives of Windsor* was staged outside the unfinished theatre. In 1995, Mark Rylance became Artistic Director. In 1997, the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was completed. Every summer, Shakespeare's plays are performed, and in winter, performances are held indoors at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. It holds an irreplaceable position in presenting authentic Shakespearean classics, and also houses a research center for Shakespeare's works and stage performance.

Photo: Panel showing Sam Wanamaker and Mark Rylance overlooking the theatre construction site in 1991. In 2016, Mark Rylance won the 88th Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (*Bridge of Spies*). In 2017, he played Mr. Dawson, who sails with his son to rescue soldiers, in the film *Dunkirk*.

Photo: Is this a childhood photo of Sam Wanamaker and a death mask from 1993? It symbolizes his lifelong effort to realize the golden dream of rebuilding the Globe Theatre.

Photo: During the reconstruction of the Globe Theatre in the 1990s, materials were chosen to mimic Shakespeare's time, such as reed thatching and oak lath reinforcement. The Shakespeare's Globe Theatre is the only reed-roofed building in all of London.

Photo: These photos show the construction process. Are the items on the display platform actual remnants?

Photo: Oak timbers used for wooden components.

Photo: In Shakespeare's time, craftsmen of various trades served performances, including tailors, embroiderers, dyers, etc. Bottom left shows a tailor.

Photo: Tailors and costumes.

Photo: This panel introduces modern actors in historical and contemporary costumes. Historical costumes are handmade and hand-washed, aiming to faithfully reproduce the real attire of Shakespeare's time. This is a treasured heirloom of the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, where lifelike costumes and props far outweigh the importance of sets and lighting.

Photo: Janet Arnold—costume designer for the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (deceased).

Photo: Costume workshop.

Photo: Some plays and puppet shows provided with costumes by this workshop.

Photo: Collections of Shakespeare-era costume plates are treasured by the theatre.

Photo: Tailoring pattern books from the era are also kept, and the theatre meticulously reproduces costumes accordingly.

Photo: Many ancient paintings on this panel serve as references for costume design at the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. The lower right is the "Rainbow Portrait" of Queen Elizabeth I attending a masquerade dressed as the goddess Diana, wearing embroidered corset and golden-red cloak. The two next to it are stills from a 1999 production of *Antony and Cleopatra*.

Photo: The prince from the masque *The Lay of the Nibelungen* performed in 1611.

Photo: The stage and costume designer for that masque, Inigo Jones.

Photo: Attire of a noblewoman in Shakespeare's time.

Photo: Various costumes.

Photo: Velvet from the 15th to 17th centuries; reproductions were used in the 2000 production of *Hamlet* at the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

Photo: This panel introduces dyeing, starching, stain removal, etc., of costumes in Shakespeare's time, all using natural materials, even collecting urine as a stain remover. The picture shows the attire of a famous sailor of the time.

Photo: The costume worn by Jane Lapotaire, who played Queen Elizabeth I, designed and made after a 16th-century sample, adorned with 1400 beads sewn on one by one.

Photo: Still of Jane Lapotaire as Queen Elizabeth I. The makeup artist spent three hours on her.

Photo: Women's corset. Made of cotton/linen fabric, supported with reeds and whalebone. Queen Elizabeth I wore one in real life.

Photo: *Macbeth* is one of Shakespeare's four great tragedies. This is the costume of Lady Macbeth from the 2015 film.

Photo: Costume prep room?

Photo: Items that cannot be washed are dried?

Photo: Combat scenes are popular among audiences; the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre meticulously choreographs such scenes based on ancient descriptions and illustrations.

Photo: At the Globe Theatre, sets and props are less important than costumes; set changes are typically done with painted backcloths. The panels show several treasured backcloths.

Photo: Two backcloths hanging in the exhibition hall.

Photo: Two other backcloths.

Photo: Music plays a significant role in Shakespeare's plays; for example, *Twelfth Night* begins with a chorus and ends with a solo.

Photo: The orchestra of the time seems to have played in an orchestra pit like today.

Photo: A full range of wind, string, and percussion instruments.

Photo: This panel introduces musicians in Shakespeare's time: one type were the actors themselves, who were musically trained; the other were hired performers who could only play loud wind instruments and had low social status—I think they were like ancient Chinese trumpeters.

Photo: This panel introduces the musical philosophy of the contemporary Globe Theatre: on one hand, it strives to replicate the musical atmosphere of Shakespeare's time; on the other, it incorporates modern musical elements.