Shakespeare's Globe Reviews

Such amazing place. I would recommend getting seats rather than standing .

Great atmosphere and great show. Well worth a visit. Grounding tickets are good value and let you get up close to the action.

Loved the Merry Wives of Windsor. Lovely acting and amazing theater.

Wonderful productions, both in the Globe itself and in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Very helpful staff. Great food in the Swan Restaurant too. Can't fault it!

Authenticity is great. But why oh why standing for 2 hours 45? Why no options for benches? My daughter went to see a performance recently with her school and all the standing made the already difficult Shakespeare nothing more than a punishment. Absolutely put her off the bard for life.

Loved the place, it really takes you back in time. Imogen (adapted from Cymbeline) was awesome.

This is a rebuild of Shakespeare's Globe theater, which burnt down in 1613 during a performance of Henry VIII. It's situated in Bankside (on the south side of the Thames), around 250 meters from the original site which is under archeological protection and cannot be viewed. If you want to look at the original site, look for the Financial Times building, and it's right opposite that. This new Globe was opened in 1997 as a result of the tremendous efforts made by the American actor, Sam Wanamaker, a Shakespeare enthusiast. Getting there is very easy, just take the tube to London Bridge or Southwark and walk around 9 minutes towards the river or the Millenium bridge. I recommend first taking a tour of the theater before attending a show because you get to see parts of the layout and construction of this iconic building. Tickets for the tour are easily available, and there are tours in several languages on an hourly basis. If you're lucky, you might actually get the opportunity of watching a rehearsal (we walked in on The Merry Wives of Windsor), although you'll be instructed to be absolutely silent and motionless during the dry run. The theater itself is around half the size of what it used to be during Shakespeare's time. You might be allowed to walk around and take pictures, although I was told that this is generally not the case. I could have spent an entire day admiring the construction, but during the tour which lasts 40 minutes, you have only around 15 - 20 min inside the actual theater. After the tour, decide if you want to attend a show. There are some matinees, but mostly evening shows starting after 7 PM. We were able to get tickets for Henry IV Part I, a fantastic production. The Globe ensemble is currently one of the best and most highly trained troupes in the world, with the acting and delivery being simply superb. Groundling tickets (standing only) are just 5 pounds and an immensely interactive experience. The best seats are in the front gallery (sitting), right opposite the stage, and cost around 48 pounds each. It does get quite chilly after the sun goes down, so carry warm clothing. The wooden seats can unfortunately be quite uncomfortable, but you can hire a cushion on site. If you've decided to be a groundling, carry a raincoat because umbrellas are not allowed and the pits are unroofed. In the winter months, performances take place in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, which is right next door. After the show, enjoy an ale and some tasty pub grub in one of the pubs on either side of the Thames while discussing the Bard.

Finally managed to visit this legendary theatre. We enjoyed the tour. Very funny and insightful. Exhibition was ok as well. Hope to be back for a performance!

An amazing performance of Taming of the Shrew, the actors are all brilliant, they deserve all the accolades they receive.

Very interesting place to see. Definitely do the guided tour as the guide is very informative. He was very upfront about the Globe being the best estimate as no real plans survived. Good perspective of what the theater meant to the population of London in Shakespeare's time.

Particular, interesting, original ... with a "flaw", a guide that speaks only English!

An interesting place to visit, full of history. Reading about how the globe was originally built and used as a theatre followed by the fire of london. We were lucky to see a play being rehearsed whilst one the tour - wonderful atomsphere! As it is the only building in London with a thatched roof it really is a sight to see!

I just love the place! Who's coming to London and love art, must come and buy the tour and museum tickets! It gets me so emotional!! Lovely!!!

definitely wirth a visit even if you don't see a play, maybe catch a river boat from here for a commentary on london history from a local

Amazing venue and incredible performance, seats were quite uncomfortable for the length of a full play

Been visiting the Globe for 22 years whats not to like.

Incredible experience, highly recommended. I went as a 'groundling', on a standing ticket. Only 5 pounds, probably the best value entertainment experience in London!

I think it is great for watching real-life performances in the open!

Missus hated it. I loved it. Can't understand a word that's being said, but it's culture blud.

Wonderful, but been about 4 times, and the novel candle lighting looses its appeal, and you long for modern lighting again

Great location and fantastic theater. A 'must do' when in London!

I went for the tour and it was fascinating to learn facts about Shakespearean plays and the time period the plays were presented. The tour guides are great at answering any questions and are enthusiastic about Shakespeara.

The guided tour leaves much to be desired. We were just taken to one part of the seating area where we were told a bit of history and that was it. I do not think it is worth the money. No even going to the stage, yard, etc. Better to go and see a play!!

Beautiful scenic place inside, definitely looks nothing like it does on the inside. Absolutely beautiful

This is the re-construction of the Shakespearean theater of the 16th century wanted by an American director of the 50s of the last century who dedicated the final part of his life to the reconstruction of this theater which was also destroyed by the advent of Puritanism which considered theater as an instrument of perdition of the evil one. The complex is well maintained and as a perfectly functioning theater, the part of the museum that tells aspects of the life of the actors and Londoners at the end of the 16th century is also beautiful.

Visiting Shakespeare's Globe was an incredible experience. The theater is full of history. During our visit, we enjoyed the play of Richard II. Sitting arrangement is on benches.

Exciting place, it made me really understand the context and the world of Shakespeare. I recommend watching performance there.

Absolutely must see attraction in London. Go for tour guide and try to buy ticket for evening show

Great performance of the Twelfth Night. Despite the rain, we had a tremendous time. Awesome play.

Great food and drink! Worth a visit if looking for a longer lunch

I'm a Shakespeare-phile, so of course I loved this place! A fun and informative tour, great to get inside the Globe and see it. Wonderful gift store with a large variety of items at all price points!!! Easily you can pick up fun and funny souvenirs here. We got a flip book to create our own Shakespearean insults, lol!

Best theatre experience I have ever had. If you have a chance... Go. I thought that u wouldn't be able to file the dialogue, wrong... I had no problem at all... And the actors and performance was magnificent.

Wonderful theatre with so much history. Absolutely loved my experience there. Definitely worth the money!

Excellent!!! Simply excellent!!! Must visit place for all tourists. You may even not know who Shakespeare is, but you will fall in love with this place. We bought a tour and enjoyed every moment!

It was not all that I thought, I thought it was much bigger.

Awesome place! The museum is quite interesting and full of info and many pieces of memorabilia from plays and movies. The guide was very nice, the tour is something to be done if you are in London. The souvenirs shop was kind of dissapointing.

Wonderful performance but I'm glad the director won't be there much long because she failed to realise the reason people go to the globe was to see and witness a authentic Shakespeare experience. What I got was a modernised play that felt miss placed. Though with in the next year I imagine it will be back to its former glory. Can't wait to go again.

Fantastic venue but customer service leaves a little, or even a lot, to be desired.

Been here soo many times. Always great seeing a show in an open air theatre.

Historic theatre in the heart of London. Simply the best place to experience Shakespeare.

Macbeth production: inaudible as Lady Macbeth's voice weedy and hoarse. Other actors too did not have strong voices and they completely "lost" the audience. You could hear the audience's frustration and disbelief. Many walked out. Many complained and reviews pointed this out as well but the Globe did nothing to improve the quality of the performance, e.g. by providing actors with microphones. I asked for a refund or a ticket for another performance and I was refused that, I was told I should have complained about the actors during the performance?!!!!! As if they would have changed anything while I was there. Ridiculous. I would have walked out if I could have done so without disturbing the people sitting next to me, who were having a picnic. There was a lot of food and drink being consumed in the theatre, something that the Globe "actively encourages". This made it doubly hard to concentrate and understand Shakespeare's language. Some of us who have paid good money for top tickets are serious theatre goers, but the Globe's priority is to make money on food and drink, sadly.

This theatre is popular because it's a replica of the original Shakespeare's theatre. But the seating (as in their other covered theatre) is awful, uncomfortable, cramped, many seats are facing away from the stage so they require you to twist your back and neck to see the stage, there are several restricted view seats not sold as such. The only tickets facing the stage are very far away from it, so it is not a fantastic viewing experience. Front of house staff are unhelpful and disabled toilet does not lock. Largely a tourist attraction.

Good food but dining area upstairs has glass walls all round making it very noisy.

Took tour. It was well presented, informative, fun. So glad I did it!

I was pleasantly surprised, and the tour they do is fast and very enjoyable.

This place is impressive just for the modern rendition of the ancient Globe theater. You can catch a play here, visit a well-appointed gift shop, and have a coffee or snack. It is well worth the effort to get to this place if you like Shakespeare.

Always wonderful this visit and also the theater workshop. Experience the Shakespearean atmosphere and pretend to be part of that audience so involved. Splendid actors, a unique performance.

You have to go very soon because the tickets are over

Really enjoyed the Globe itself, and also the museum. Recommended.

Don't buy standing, not worth it. Great otherwise!

Gorgeous experience. Production was outstanding. The theatre is all that you hope it will be. Everyone is so helpful except the bar staff...they were kinda rude. The ushers made up for it, mostly. SO HELPFUL!

I was so excited to watch Hamlet but for the first time I didn't like a Globe production.

Very hot evening in Globe on Sat 4th at Winter s Tale. Fine acting, delighted to have been in this special building.

Customer service is frustrating. The shop never pick the phone up have left numerous messages with a promise they will get back to you, but that never happens

Great rebuilt theatre. Captures classic Shakespeare!

I didn't go in but loved the building's appearance and history. It was one stop in a wonderful walk in London that took in several unique sights.

I wish you could go inside the Globe without a guided tour in the winter, but otherwise I love it!

To visit. The guide explains the history of the theater very well.

I watched "A midsummer night's dream" on a standing ticket here. Standing tickets give you access to the yard and you will standing the whole time of the show. There is no roof above the yard, so if it's raining you could get drenched. They More

A must for those interested in Shakespeare. I thought it was really nice.

A beautiful and interesting building. Take the guided tour! :)

Even if the theater is no longer the original one due to the various fires that have repeatedly destroyed it, its reconstruction still makes the atmosphere fascinating and it seems to be able to relive the representation of the shows as in Shakespeare's times. The explanation of the guide that made the tour even more engaging was very pleasant. Absolutely an experience to do while visiting London.

Show was fantastic, staff were amazingly helpful. Really positive experience. Would recommend.