6.5m exhibition for Shakespeare’s Globe

Shakespeare’s Globe theatre is raising 6.5m for an interactive exhibition in its undercroft on the theme of “All the world’s a stage”.

Exhibition specialist Robin Wade & Associates is drawing up a 2100m2 scheme for the exhibition, which is intended to open next September on the 400th anniversary of the completion of the first Globe.

The display will concentrate on the role of the actor, the audience and the architecture in Shakespeare’s time. The main exhibition area will centre around a movable stage and a single oak tree of cast iron, intended to signify both the growth of the new Globe theatre and its main building material.

Decorative panels line the ceiling with symbols of heraldry, alchemy, mazes and astrology, and structural columns are decorated with gilding and paintwork.

Film and sound will be used to interpret the influence of Shakespeare on stage, film and TV work. A SoundLab will explore use of language, and visitors will be able to walk through an attiring room of fashion and theatrical costume.

The gallery is raising funds through the Lottery and private and corporate sources for the exhibition, which is the second phase of the Globe development. A third is planned for an education centre in a nearby warehouse.