The theatre was a popular lifeline of Elizabethan England, vital in a time without the technology we now heavily rely on for pleasure. Theatres could hold 1500 people, but this would increase to 3000 with crowds flooding the surrounding areas.
Despite the strong class divide in Elizabethan times, and the separation between the luxurious lives of the rich and the harsh of the poor, everybody attended the theatre, of all social status. The audiences at the theatre were a communal melting pot of London citizens. Porters, carters and servants spent much of their free time there, alongside nobles and ambassadors. The royals adored the theatre, but casts of actors were sent to perform in their residences.
In the outdoor theatres, the cost of a place among the 'groundlings', standing in the yard, was only 1 penny, hence why the poor could afford to enjoy entertainment. You would be very close to the stage, with access to buying fruits, gingerbread and ale, but the floor was likely of poor quality and there were no toilet facilities. The most expensive seats were 'The Lords Rooms,' where the wealthier nobles would sit, sheltered from wind and rain. It was said that more men attended the theatre than women, and women of high status would hide their identity with a mask.
The atmosphere at theatres was a stark contrast to what we expect today. Both the wealthy and poor were vocal during the performances, cheering heroes and booing villains. Those on the ground often sold livestock, the theatre bustling with potential buyers. The engagement of the audience was a curse as well as a blessing - they could completely disrupt and destroy a play did they not enjoy it. For example, a play that used female characters to play female roles, a French touring group, were hissed at by the outraged audience. Members would throw fruit at the actors or vandalise the seats and walls did they not like the play, stamp on the floor, vocalise their upset, and fights could sometimes break out.
The streets and taverns would become overcrowded after performances, and the Church condemned the disruption that came with the vast number of people attending the theatre, also saying it was a haven for the spreading of disease, and that the actors on stage were irresponsible and immoral people. Furthermore, the showing of plays clashed with the afternoon church services, so many people didn't attend them, the noise from the plays disturbing the churches. Queen Elizabeth kept imposing restrictions on the theatre, such as not allowing players to establish themselves in the city, but these rules were constantly being broken.
It is amazing that the theatre, although a busy and sometimes dangerous place, brought all people together, a rare event where all social classes would indulge in the same ritual, and boo and cheer together.
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