London Attractions Unfamiliar Attractions Shakespeare's GlobeShakespeare's Globe Theatre - ££
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre is an authentic reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre, which stood in a location several hundred metres from this site. Like 
many thatched buildings, it was vulnerable to fire, to which it eventually succumbed in 1613. In point of fact, Shakespeare's Globe was the first thatched building to be built in London since the Great Fire of London in 1666, so had to pass stringent safety tests (the roof is non-combustible) in order to receive a license for public performance.
As well as staging plays, the theatre also hosts an exhibition and tour which investigates the costumes, music and special effects found in Elizabethan theatre. There are a range of seats available including private boxes: 'Gentlemens' Rooms' - which can hold up to ten visitors.
With one of the highest satisfaction ratings of any major attraction in London, Shakespeare's Globe lends a magical and authentic insight, into how the productions of Britain's greatest playwright were staged. If you're on a budget consider becoming 'a groundling'. Continuing a tradition Shakespeare would have been familiar with, groundlings get in cheaply as long as they don't mind standing. There are 700 groundling tickets for performances, offered at £5 each, which is one of the city's indisputable bargains - but it does include more than two hours of standing in one spot. You're also uncovered, so in the event of rain (here? in England??) you will be gently moistened to the bone - though portable plastic macs are available to purchase. No, you can't bring an umbrella, or sit down (fire regulations). However, there's something far more important to consider. The camaraderie.
If you're the kind of person who'll begin to grumble about standing after ten minutes, about the terrible cold, the ever-present threat of rain, the great-unwashed standing within your personal-space boundaries - then give it a miss, or pay for the gallery seats (with a cushion). The best seats are still reasonable compared to West End show prices. However, if you have an intact sense of adventure and a love of history, go ahead and file in. You can rest tomorrow. The atmosphere in the 'groundling pit' where players and troubadours interact with the public, where people can still smile in the face of a light shower and enter into the spirit of the evening, can't be recreated. It's adventurous, authentic and memorable - and the fact that it's a bargain only serves to cement the deal. In Shakespeare's day, up to half the entire city of London would have seen his most popular plays and yes, the galleries would have brought in the bulk of the takings. The 'buzz', recommendations and Elizabethan 'water-cooler-moments' would undoubtedly have come via the groundlings. Become one yourself and live the past at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, rather than reading about it.
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, SE1 9DT.
Mansion House or London Bridge Tube.
Call: 020 7902 1400
