Theatre in the Renaissance

An important thing to be aware of, is that the experience of watching Macbeth today will be an entirely different one to that of the Renaissance times.

The Globe Theatre where many of Shakespeare's work was performed, usually presented the plays in the afternoon, in natural light. Therefore plays set in darkness were played in full light, and had to use props and language to invoke the atmosphere of night time. Many things had to be left to the imagination, as women were played by men and kings by commoners. The Globe Theatre catered for just about everyone, with varying fees and seats so that not only could noblemen and women attend the theatre, but it was also accessible to the general public.

There is a general theatre etiquette today, which includes being silent throughout the production, however theatre goers at the Globe would not only have talked, laughed and shouted throughout the play, but would have alse eaten and drunk through performances.