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FAQS.

Your frequently asked questions

General

How do I use this page?

We work to ensure that your frequently asked questions are covered throughout the entire of our site.

Whether you’re browsing What’s On, Watch, Discover, Learn, Visit, Join & support or Shop, you should find all of the information you need on the relevant pages.

If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, use the regularly asked questions below or feel free to get in touch.

Are you open?

Guided Tours and performances in the Globe Theatre are now running as part of our Summer 2021 season.

Swan Bar & Restaurant has resumed indoor and outdoor dining.

Browse all upcoming on-site events online and to hear about any other future events, join our mailing list.

Our online shop remains open.

What can I do to prepare for my visit?

If you are attending a performance, tour or event, or if you are just visiting Swan Bar & Restaurant, you can find everything you need to know on the Visit section of our website.

How can I contact the Box Office?
You can reach our Box Office team by calling +44(0)20 7401 9919 or by emailing them. Find out Box Office opening hours.
Can I attend any events or performances online?

We have an ongoing range of online events, performances, workshops and courses for you to access from home. Browse our What’s On and filter by venue ‘At Home’.

You can also engage with us digitally in many other online ways: watch videos, access teaching resources and discover blogs, podcasts and more.

To hear about new online events and other digital releases, join our mailing list.

Which countries can book for online events?
You can book and take part in our online events from anywhere in the world. Be sure to consider time differences – all start times listed are GMT. All sessions are delivered in English.
Where can I watch films of productions?

There is a large collection of productions available to buy and rent on Globe Player, our video-on-demand service. Details of all of these, along with other streaming projects and services, can be found on the ‘watch’ section of our website.

You can also browse future online or on site performances via What’s On by filtering venue ‘At Home’. We are streaming a selection of productions this year as part of our Summer 2021 season.

Don’t forget to join our mailing list to keep up to date with announcements of new productions and film releases.

Where can I get support whilst watching a live stream?

We have a separate list of FAQs if you are accessing one of our live streams in 2021.

What education activities are currently available?

You can use our website to access teaching resources that are free to download and use from anywhere in the world.

Visit the Learn section of our website to see everything currently available for schools and higher education institutions. We can deliver education activities online and (are now taking enquiries for those) at Shakespeare’s Globe and in schools – get in touch to find out more.

You can also browse online CPD events via the website’s What’s On, just filter by ‘Courses’.

Don’t forget to join our mailing list just for teachers and we will send you educational resources and information each month.

Can I bring my school group to a performance this year?

Yes, you can now book for Summer 2021 productions and tours – we can book a maximum group of 66 people per live show, with students seated in a bubble configuration, and a maximum group size of 90 people for Guided Tours. From 30 August 2021, bubble configurations are planned to end and you will be able to book as per our normal seating configuration.

The school rate for performances is £15 per student with one free ticket for every 11 booked. The school rate is available for Lower Bays A/B/P/Q and Upper Bays A/B/C/N/P/Q. For Guided Tours, every 16 tickets purchased, one of these is free. The group price includes £1 off the standard price (Adults £16 and Children £9).

Workshops

Are the workshops accessible for people with physical disabilities?

All we ask is that you let us know how many, if any, members of your group have access needs prior to the date of your booking.

For any complex needs please contact [email protected]

Can teachers come for a pre-visit before the day of our workshop?

Once your booking is confirmed and payment has been received, we can accommodate a walk through your visit. Please be aware that we cannot show you specific workshop spaces, as these will be in use by other groups.
Please call to let us know when you would like to come for your pre-visit at least 10 days in advance.
We also provide a risk assessment for the Globe site on our website.

Can workshops be tailored for learners with Special Educational Needs?

The Globe wishes to be open and accessible to all and all of our workshops can be tailored to cater for a range of Special Educational Needs. In order to achieve this, we ask that you provide us with detailed information about your party’s requirements as soon as is possible. This should include information on how support is currently offered in your classrooms. This will enable our practitioners to work with the adaptations that your school has already put in place. We also recommend for groups with high numbers of learners with Special Educational Needs that there be
20 learners per group rather than 30.
Furthermore, we will ensure that teachers and staff are provided with the appropriate material to prepare both themselves and their learners for a visit to Shakespeare’s Globe.
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.

Do teachers need to attend the school workshops?

We do insist that at least one staff member/accompanying adult attend each workshop and that all accompanying adults be in the room at all times. We encourage teachers to actively support the learners throughout.

Is filming or photography allowed in the workshop?

Filming of Shakespeare’s Globe education sessions is strictly prohibited. Photography may be permitted for personal use and at the discretion of the practitioner. Please ensure any photography permitted by a practitioner is not intrusive to the workshop.

Please alert us to any possible press/PR around your event at the time of booking. Requests for marketing/publicity material (including photos, biographies/CVs of practitioners) must also be made to Shakespeare’s Globe at the time of booking. We are afraid we cannot permit the use of Shakespeare’s Globe’s logo.

Who will be delivering the session?

Your session will be delivered by a trained Globe Education Practitioner. Practitioner(s) will be selected based on the information provided by the customer to meet the specific requirements of the groups, and they will be fully briefed as to your requirements. All practitioners have an enhanced DBS certificate. We send DBS certificate number and date of issue in advance of workshops.

As our practitioners are freelancers, we will not usually be able to provide details of the person delivering your workshop far in advance. However, Shakespeare’s Globe will confirm the name of the practitioner as soon as possible to enable travel and accommodation (where necessary) to be booked.

 

Storytelling Performances

What is a Storytelling performance?

A storytelling is a one-hour precised performance of a play delivered by a Globe Storyteller. The performance features several interactive elements, with pupils contributing verbally, physically and creatively to the play (for example, they might help to create a soundscape in The Tempest, or suggest items to put into the witches’ cauldron in Macbeth!). The story is delivered in a mix of modern and Shakespearean language, with key quotes being highlighted in performance, and pupils encouraged to speak some of these. 

Do my pupils need any prior knowledge of the play or Shakespeare?

No prior knowledge is needed, no. Storytellings can be used as the perfect introduction to both Shakespeare and a particular play. 

Will we need to prepare anything in advance?

For storytellings in our Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, no preparation is needed. 

For storytellings taking place in-school or online, some preparation needed in advance, depending on which storytelling performance you book (for example: pupils bringing paper and pens). However, this will all be communicated in your booking confirmation, and all preparation will be based around items that are easily accessible in your school. 

How many adults need to be present during the Storytelling performance?

For storytellings at the Globe, we ask for a minimum ratio of 1 responsible adult to each 10 pupils. For storytellings taking place in school or online, your safeguarding policy takes precedence. 

How many students can attend a Storytelling performance at the Globe?

Our indoor Sam Wanamaker Playhouse can seat up to 194 people. 

When booking a storytelling in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, will I receive individual tickets for each pupil?

No – we will send a group ticket that confirms the number of tickets booked for pupils and teachers for your selected performance. This will help ensure that we get all your pupils seated nice and easily, without you needing to hand a ticket to each in advance. 

Can I add a tour of the Globe Theatre to my Sam Wanamaker Playhouse storytelling booking?

Subject to availability, you can also book a tour of the Globe Theatre, enabling your pupils to see both of our performance spaces. Tours are delivered by our Globe Education Practitioners, and last 30 minutes. 

How many students can attend an online Storytelling performance?

We can have up to 35 pupils attend an online Storytelling. If you require an online session for more than this, please contact us for a bespoke arrangement. 

How would an online Storytelling performance work?

Our online storytelling performances are delivered via Zoom. Our storytellers are adept at using the online performance space to make the storytelling an engaging and lively experience. They are still just as interactive as our in-person performances, with pupils encouraged to contribute verbally, using gestures and facial expressions, or sometimes using props (dependent on the performance).  

How many pupils can attend an in-school Storytelling performance?

Up to 120 pupils can attend an in-school performance. 

What sort of space is needed in my school for a Storytelling performance?

The storyteller will need a large, clear space for their performance. Depending on the numbers of pupils watching the performance, this could be in a school hall, a library, or a large classroom (for a smaller audience). 

As our storyteller may be bringing a few props with them, if possible a downstairs space, one that can be accessed via lift or minimal stairs is best! However, we understand that this is not always possible; if this is the case, if you could have one staff member on hand to help carry any props if needed then we would really appreciate it! 

What will the performance space need to look like in my school? Do I need to prepare anything?

Following Shakespeare’s lead, we focus on the power of language and imagination to create and set the scene for our performances. We therefore use minimal props and set, and all we require of you is to clear a large space for our storyteller to work their magic!  

Short Courses & Summer Schools

Who are the summer schools / short courses for?

Over the summer, we offer short courses for Young Actors and Young Academics, and welcome participants from anywhere in the world! 

Our Young Actors courses are aimed at aspiring actors and anyone who has an interest in performing – whether it’s learning something new or developing your existing knowledge and skills. We offer these in four different age groups: 8-10 year olds, 11-13 year olds, 14-16 year olds and 16-19 year olds. We also offer some Young Actors courses over Easter holidays. 

Our Young Academics course is aimed at those who have an interest in literature and are perhaps thinking of studying this at further or higher education level. We offer this for 16-19 year olds. 

How do I choose between attending the Young Academics and the Young Actors course? What is the difference between these?

If your interest lies more in English Literature and textual analysis, then our Young Academics course is for you. This course is taught by one of our Research Team and is structured as a series of seminars across the week, ending in individual presentations on a chosen topic. 

If your interest lies more in performance and Drama, then our Young Actors courses are for you! These courses are taught by professional actors and theatre-makers, are very practical in nature and end in a sharing performance on one of our Globe stages. 

What skill level do I need to be to take a short course?

Our courses are suitable for complete beginners – all that we ask is that you have a genuine passion for the subject matter, be that learning something new or building on existing knowledge and/or skills! 

We ask for participants’ prior knowledge and/or experience at the time of booking, so that our Course Directors can adapt the content to meet the needs of the participants. 

There is no need to audition, submit an application or CV/resume. You can book each course through our website, and places are available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Who teaches on the short courses?

Our courses are led by experts in their field. 

Our Young Academics course is led by Dr Hanh Bui, the Teaching and Research Fellow at Shakespeare’s Globe. She completed her Ph.D. in English at Brandeis University (USA). She specializes in Shakespeare, ageing studies, early modern health and science, and early modern critical race studies. You can view Dr Bui’s full biography. 

Our Young Actors courses are run by professional actors, acting coaches and directors, who are all experienced in working with young people. Additionally, for the full-time courses (14-16 years and 16-19 years), your Course Director will be joined by specialists in text, movement and voice to facilitate certain sessions.  

All Course Directors have an enhanced DBS certificate. 

What level of English do I need to take a short course?

All our courses are taught in English, so it is important that you have adequate English language skills to cope with the course demands (e.g., being able to take instructions in English). In particular, you will require good speaking and listening skills to work with your fellow course mates, and an age-appropriate ability to read Shakespeare (our Course Directors will adapt the text demands to suit the ages of the course participants). We do not require any proof of language qualifications for international participants. 

Are there any discounts or concessions available on the course fees?

We are always looking to explore ways in which we can make Shakespeare and the theatre more accessible for all, especially young people. As a charity that receives no government subsidy, we use income generated from our short courses amongst other activities to subsidise our other educational offers. Whilst we do work the keep the costs as low as possible, we understand that it is still a substantial amount of money. Sadly, at present we aren’t able to offer discounts or concessions; however, this is very much something we are hoping to offer in the future.  

Members get 20% off all short courses.
Can I pay in instalments?

Unfortunately, for most of our courses we need to receive payment in full to confirm your place on the course. 

However, we do recognise that a payment plan might be helpful for our 2-week, Young Actors course (16-19 year olds). If you would like to discuss this, then please contact us. 

How many people are on each short course?

We like to keep our course sizes small to ensure each participant receives ample attention from their Course Director. The courses have a maximum of 16 – 20 students per class; please see the individual course pages for this information. 

Our Young Actors courses have a maximum capacity of 18 participants.  

Our Young Academics course has a maximum capacity of 16 participants. 

What do I need to bring and/or wear?

For full-time courses (i.e. those running 10am-5pm), participants should bring lunch and any snacks they may want to eat during break times. For part-time courses (i.e. those running 10am-1pm), there will be a break built in, so if participants usually eat lunch before 1pm, then do feel free to bring this, or a snack. We suggest all participants bring a bottle of water, which can be refilled on site. Meals and refreshments are not provided as part of the course. 

We also recommend bringing a pen/pencil and notebook. How many notes participants make is an entirely personal choice; for the Young Academics course this can be quite a lot; for the Young Actors’ courses (especially the youngest ones) this can be very little or none at all. 

Participants should wear comfortable clothes and footwear, suitable for practical work (especially so on our Young Actors courses). Please note that there will be some time spent in the Globe Theatre which is outside, therefore please dress appropriately for the British summertime weather, by either bringing a jacket and/or wearing suncream! 

Will I get to perform on the Globe Stage?

Shakespeare’s Globe has two stages: our outdoor Globe Theatre, and our indoor Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. All participants will get to access and explore both theatres 

All participants on our Young Actors courses will perform on one of the stages: for summer courses, this will be the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse; for Easter courses, this will be the Globe Theatre. This is because, as a working theatre, we have to work around our summer and winter productions. Please see the individual course pages to discover what stage access you will receive. 

Will I receive a certificate?

As these are short, non-accredited courses, we don’t offer a certificate as a standard. However, once the course has finished, we can supply a digital Certificate of Attendance on request; please email if you would like one of these. 

The Certificate of Attendance will state the course title, dates, and name of the participant, and will feature Shakespeare’s Globe’s logo.