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outstanding success? Yes, we watched these Henry also moved through the audience Globe certainly did this and even more. In a
plays in an authentic setting, a replica of shaking hands as they cheered his victory. At generous review by Patricia Maunder in
Shakespeare's own theatre. As when he wrote one performance, a schoolboy watching in the Limelight magazine, she ended with “It is not
and produced them in his “wooden O”, within Pit, had a fit and fell to the ground. As the to be missed!” So, when it returns for its next
walls that did contain the “vasty fields of audience parted to let teachers give assistance, season, DO NOT MISS IT!! And it is returning
France”. And did “on our imaginary forces an officer fighting on stage pointed to the boy to Australia for a six-week season in
work”. All on a simple unworthy scaffold that and called, “Give help to that soldier!” The September 2018 in Sydney at Moore Park. It
did indeed bring forth so great an object. audience had become part of the army. will bring two new companies of actors to
present Macbeth, The Comedy of Errors, The
Most impressive of all was the lively The closeness of the audience lent itself to Merchant of Venice and A Midsummer Night’s
connection of the Pop-up Globe and its appropriate and good-humoured participation. Dream. It certainly will be worthwhile going
audience. Actors surrounded by an audience The cleaner - Chorus (played by Michael to Sydney to be there. My tickets are already
never more than 15 metres away with no Mahoney) was a particularly strong conduit booked. ★
amplified sound. Entrances and exits used steps between the players and audience, frequently
at the centre and sides of the stage - moving blurring the line between theatre and reality.
actors through the audience in the Pit, and using During one matinee performance, a helicopter Credits:
them directly as part of the play. When the roared low over the Pop-up roof, drowning out
French Ambassador made his exit from Court the actor who looked up and shouted, This account and photographs of the New Zealand
using the centre-stage steps, he looked down at “BUGGER-OFF!” to the laughter of the Pop-up Globe's first overseas tour to Melbourne was
the groundlings and snarled, “Out of my way - audience. At interval, stage-musicians moved compiled from several sources, but mostly from the
you English scum!” After his dramatic battle, among the audience outside, singing very informative Pop-up Globe Melbourne season
Elizabethan songs that segued into Waltzing Official Programme including Peter Meecham
Matilda. The Melbourne audiences loved it and Photography, and the New Zealand Theatre
Productions Company’s web-site which summarizes
joined in at every opportunity.
the extensive academic research and archeological
surveys into the historical background of not only of
To be able to see these performances as they Shakespeare and the Globe Theatres but also the
were originally written and staged is to see history of Shakespearian and Jacobian theatre.
Shakespeare's plays in a new way - exceptional Wikipedia also had several articles and useful
and thrilling. I have been a theatre-goer for over references.
seventy years and seen many fine seasons of
Shakespeare. This, however, was truly the
theatrical experience of a lifetime. The New Article and personal photographs by Jim White,
Zealand Theatre Production Company has my former Producer/Director, ABC Radio and Television,
gratitude. and Lecturer in Media Studies. Writers included
William Shakespeare, Tim Fitzpatrick, Russell
“For it is your imagination that now must deck Emerson, David Lawrence, Chantelle Gerrard, Bob
our Kings, carrying them here and there, Capocci, Patricia Maunder, Tobias Grant, Jim White
Jumping o'er time, Turning the accomplishment and Dr. Miles Gregory (the Founder, Artistic Director
of many years into an hour-glass.” The Pop-up and CEO of the Pop-up Globe Theatre Company.

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