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On the third day of our stay in London, Barton and I high-tailed it to The Globe (on the other side of the Thames river), to see A Midsummer NightÙs Dream. Before the performance, we took a quick tour of the archaeological site of The Rose. As we walked through a door under an office building, the smell was musty and humid.
Our guide turned on a row of red lights, which outlined the walls of The Rose. The walls of the Rose were discovered in 1989, preserved by the cold water of the river. The walls began to deteriorate once they were unearthed, so they have been returned under water and sand until other preservation methods can be arranged. We were literally standing inside the theatre.
We also walked around the corner to the original site of The Globe Theatre. The reconstruction of The Globe is the only thatched roof that remains in London.
The performance was incredible- Barton and I stood in “the yard,” just inches away from the performers. We were so close that we felt the crumbs as an actor ate a cookie. The natural lighting (thankfully it was a mildly overcast day) provided an extraordinary personal appearance to all of the actors, much better than any artificial spotlight.
We were so close to the action that the audience was swept into the story, though I am sure that our audience was much better behaved than the audiences of original Globe. The packed crowd laughed as the characters came to life. By far, it was one of the best performances I have seen in my life.
The Rose
The Globe
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