Three cheers for Shakespeare

Here are some photos of 'Saturday night at the Pop-Up Globe' - another packed performance of Twelfth Night. Sold-out performances are almost commonplace now, but this one was extra-special because it celebrated, of course, Shakespeare's birth and the 400th anniversary of his death.

Before the performance began Miles Gregory, the founder and director, appeared on stage to a solid round of applause. His speech encompassed his two-fold vision for the Pop-Up Globe - to educate audiences about Shakespeare, his plays and his theatre, and to make Shakespeare accessible - both in terms of experiencing the plays in the space they were originally intended for, and in affordability (a third of the playhouse tickets - the groundlings - are priced at just $15). He then led the audience in three lusty cheers for William Shakespeare, which was followed up in the interval by an equally rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday to you dear Shakespeare" initiated by Feste!

The Globe at night

My second home ;)

Waiting for the gates to open

Ushers receiving their briefing

Miles Gregory

Tobias Grant, Pop-Up Globe's Executive Producer, investigates the playhouse bar

Shakespearean ice-creams ;)

'Here is my space, kingdoms are clay' - staking a pitch among the rest of the groundlings!

Isabel gazes upwards in awe and wonder ;)

Forest of rafters (this is the underside of the stage roof)

Musicians among the groundlings

Photos courtesy of Daddy.