Being a Groundling

One of my main goals for this summer in London was to be a groundling at a Shakespeare performance in the Globe Theatre. We had tickets to All's Well that Ends Well, so I seized my great opportunity. I went early enough to grab a spot leaning right up against the wooden stage. It was a dream come true to a thespian like myself. For those of you who don't know, A groundling was a person that frequented the Globe Theatre in the early 17th century who was too poor to pay to be able to sit on one of the three levels of the theatre. By paying one penny, they could stand just below the stage to watch the play. The groundlings were commoners who were also referred to as stinkards or penny-stinkers They were known to misbehave and even throw food such as fruit and nuts at characters they did not like.

leaning on the stage!

The actors begin the show by coming to the edge of the stage and chatting with the groundlings and they tried to include the groundlings in the show whenever possible. What an experience to be able to stand up close to these amazing thespians. I was so close that I could feel a minuscule wet drop of spit from one of the actors' mouths.

I wanted to play my groundling part perfectly. I didn't bring any rotten fruit, but I did hiss, boo, laugh, sigh, gasp, and drum on the stage, when it was appropriate of course.  I had no previous knowledge of this specific show, so I loved not knowing how it would end. I chuckled my way through the show.

Here are some of my favorite lines from the play:

Mine eyes smell onions!

It is like a barber's chair that fits all buttocks

'T were all one
That I should love a bright particular star
And think to wed it, he is so above me