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Shakespearean Insights: When The Globe Theatre Burned Down

 A drawing of The Globe Theatre from Shakespeare's time.
Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the BPL
/
Flickr
A drawing of The Globe Theatre from Shakespeare's time.

Jason King Jones discusses an eye witness account from Shakespeare's time of a mishap at the legendary Globe Theatre.

A witness describes a production of Shakespeare's Henry VIII in the summer of 1613 when a canon was fired, lighting the theater's thatched roof albaze. This caused The Globe to burn to the ground. "Nothing perished but wood and straw," the eye witness said, though a man did have his breeches set on fire — remedied with a bottle of ale.

Learn more about the legendary playwright, his performances and more on Shakespearean Insights, produced in partnership with the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (where no cannons will be fired!).

Jason King Jones is the host of Shakespearean Insights on WDIY. He is the Artistic Director of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival.