Globe Theatre

Scott and I went with my parents to see Romeo and Juliet. It was as close to an Elizabethan play-going experience as we could manage in the 21st century. The reconstructed Globe Theatre on the banks of the Thames stays very true to the original as much as what relatively little surviving documented Globe history allows. It does come with a few unauthentic modern conveniences such as electrical lighting, proper loos and use of fire retardant materials (duh!). You'll still find tickets to join the other groundlings in the standing-only yard section. While my attention settled mostly on the stage itself, my eyes couldn't help but drift from time to time over to the pit people. Statues! How on earth these hundreds of smashed sardines could stand so still for such a long play, is really a mystery! And it's not like the "prime" seats come with any luxury either. Hard narrow wooden benches, most with no back rest. So your authentic Globe experience will likely come with a memorable stage production and the thrill of being transported back a few centuries, but it will also likely be remembered by a sore toosh (even with the gnarly £1 rental cushions) and back ache. But somehow I'd do it all over again!