'Open your gates'

Plays, Poems & New Writing Photo story

14 June 2020

2 minute read

A group of actors wearing white tunics stand in a v-formation on a stage covered in straw. — Mark Rylance and the Company in **Henry V**.

‘For me there is a striking parallel between the opening of the Globe and the story of Henry V, that there’s one man who gathers together a disparate group of people and against all odds manages to achieve a marvelous victory or some marvelous vision that no one thought he’d be able to do’

— Richard Olivier, Director

A group of audience members stand before a thrust stage, with a circular timber gallery of audience members surrounding them — The opening of **Henry V**.

A line of people rest against the edge of a thrust stage covered in straw. — Groundlings lean against the stage.

Can this cockpit hold
The vasty fields of France? or may we cram
Within this wooden O the very casques
That did affright the air at Agincourt?

— Prologue, Henry V

The one thing the Globe universally calls for is imagination, and a shared experience between the actors and the audience.

A man wearing a large hat leans his hand to his mouth.

A man wearing a tunic with the English and French emblems holds his crown under his arm.

A man wearing a traditional helmet and armour.

Henry V was given an ‘authentic brief’ in our opening season and explored certain authentic production methods including an all-male cast, cuts to the text to speed up performance time, doubling of parts, period instruments, historical costume and authentic weapons.

A man wearing a tunic with the English and French emblems, and armour with a helmet adorned by a golden crown. — Mark Rylance as Henry V.

‘I wish everyone could feel what it’s like to come out as Henry V and have people cheer, it’s extraordinary’

— Mark Rylance

An actor wearing armour leans his ear against the wooden oak doors of a timber theatre. — An actor waits for his cue before the wooden doors of the Globe Theatre.

A costume design sketch for a prince with a plume helmet and golden doublet and hose. — Costume notes for the Dauphin.

The Elizabethans had a great love of rich colour. Its combinations and colour was very meaningful, and there is a symbolism to most of the colours they would dress in, which we’ve tried to respect in our production

— Jenny Tiramani, Designer

An actor wears a bright red traditional Elizabethan dress, with corset, puffed sleeves, and full skirt. — Costume for Catherine of France.

‘The clothes are affecting them in their posture on stage, obviously in their behaviour in the clothes, there is a way of moving in these pieces which is not like wearing a suit. There is a physical affect wearing the clothes’

— Jenny Tiramani, Designer

A group of four musicians stand backstage, with a drum, trumpet. — Musicians play period instruments in the gallery.

A promptbook with writing. — Prompt book for **Henry V**.

Programme for Henry V — **Henry V** programme.

Show report for Henry V — Front-of-House show report for the day of Princess Diana’s funeral.

An actor wearing a red traditional Elizabethan dress extends their hand to another actor wearing a white doublet and golden crown. — Toby Cockerell as Catherine and Mark Rylance as Henry V.

Thus far with rough and all-unable pen
Our bending author hath pursued the story,
In little room confining mighty men,
Mangling by starts the full course of their glory.

— Epilogue, Henry V

A large crowd of audience members stand watching a play in a circular timber structure. — The Company of **Henry V** in our wooden O.

Photographer: John Tramper. All materials courtesy of the Globe Archive.

Shakespeare's Globe

‘For me there is a striking parallel between the opening of the Globe and the story of Henry V, that there’s one man who gathers together a disparate group of people and against all odds manages to achieve a marvelous victory or some marvelous vision that no one thought he’d be able to do’

‘I wish everyone could feel what it’s like to come out as Henry V and have people cheer, it’s extraordinary’

FINIS.

Building Shakespeare's Globe

Original Practices at Shakespeare's Globe

This wooden O: the history of our unique shape

'Open your gates'

‘For me there is a striking parallel between the opening of the Globe and the story of Henry V, that there’s one man who gathers together a disparate group of people and against all odds manages to achieve a marvelous victory or some marvelous vision that no one thought he’d be able to do’

‘I wish everyone could feel what it’s like to come out as Henry V and have people cheer, it’s extraordinary’

FINIS.

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Building Shakespeare's Globe

Original Practices at Shakespeare's Globe

This wooden O: the history of our unique shape