Shakespeare’s Globe announces success of the Globe to Globe Festival as it completes its six week marathon 7 June 2012
Over 85,000 tickets sold
Nearly 4,000 bookings for multiple shows
Over 36,000 theatre-goers saw a production for only £5
80% of bookings comprised new audiences coming to the Globe for the very first time
14 world premieres
Since the celebratory opening weekend on 21 and 22 April, Shakespeare’s Globe has welcomed artists from all over the world to perform in the hugely ambitious multi-lingual Globe to Globe Festival as part of the London 2012 Festival. For the first time ever, 37 international companies performed all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays in 37 different languages. As the festival closes and the 2012 theatre season ‘The Play’s The Thing’ begins today with the Globe’s own production of Henry V, the theatre announces the breadth of its achievement.
Over 85,000 tickets were sold, many people taking advantage of multiple ticket offers to come back again and again to enjoy the enormous variety on stage. There were nearly 4,000 bookings for multiple shows from over 77 countries, and over 36,000 theatre-goers saw a production for only £5 with 117 people running the theatrical marathon of seeing every production for £100 with the Matinee Yard Olympian. The Globe’s aim to open the doors to London’s many diverse communities to see Shakespeare performed in their own languages vastly exceeded expectations. 80% of bookings comprised new audiences coming to the Globe for the very first time, an extraordinary achievement of which the Globe is proud. The theatre received enthusiastic reactions from both audiences and visiting companies as they relished the interplay of Shakespeare performed and experienced in their native tongue – in Bangla, Polish, Spanish, Hindi, Japanese, Urdu, Turkish, Mandarin, Arabic to mention a few. Language proved no barrier and feedback from English-speaking audiences revealed delight and fascination in savouring Shakespeare in other languages, allowing them to discover new perspectives of his plays and to enjoy the rich array of cultures. Also in one of many firsts created by the festival, a Shakespeare play was performed in its entirety in British Sign Language festival.
Globe to Globe presented 14 world premieres in addition to the many productions created especially for the festival. In a herculean feat of logistics, the Festival Director Tom Bird and his team brought 37 visiting companies, many of the world’s greatest directors and over 600 actors from across the globe to Shakespeare’s Globe. Companies received a warm welcome followed by a break-neck 3-day schedule of rehearsal, technical rehearsal, and two performances on consecutive days, an equally warm send off, then home. Visiting companies were thrilled to be performing within the Globe’s ‘wooden O’ and to experience the uniqueness of the space. Nikita Milivojevic, director of National Theatre Belgrade, commented: “I was thinking that if I have to choose some moments from my theatre life until now, last night was the one that I am going to remember forever”. Kyu Choi from South Korea’s Yohangza Theatre Company added: “As an artist, if you’re really into Shakespeare’s work, performing in Shakespeare’s home at the Globe, that’s a great honor for us.”
Rawiri Paratene of Ngākau Toa from New Zealand said: “The first time I stepped onto the Globe stage, I said to myself, I would love to return one day with the troupe of Maori actors because we would be right at home on this stage. Last night, our company did the Maori Troilus and Cressida and we did it in a language to an audience that had mostly no knowledge of our language - some scene by scene sub-titles to help them along with the story. And they laughed at us, they cried with us, they sat through it and at the end they stood up and yelled and cheered and that was a blast to do that.” Dominic Dromgoole, Artistic Director of the Globe, concludes: “Globe to Globe has proved the most extraordinary pulling together of high art, compelling story-telling, and powerful acts of community. It has wildly exceeded our expectations, and proved an unforgettable experience for visiting artists and new audiences." Ruth Mackenzie, Director, London 2012 Festival, said: ‘The ambition of the London 2012 Festival is to show new audiences world class art. The Globe has exceeded expectations by gaining 80% of bookings through new audiences, many of whom were from the communities represented on stage. This will be a great encouragement to events taking place across the UK this summer for the London 2012 Festival.’ Globe to Globe 2012 Part of the World Shakespeare Festival for the London 2012 Festival, the cultural celebrations for the Olympic and Paralympic Games The World Shakespeare Festival and Globe to Globe is funded by the National Lottery through the Olympic Lottery Distributor. ENDS For further information contact: Julia Hallawell, Press & PR Manager: 0207 902 1491 or Julia.h@shakespearesglobe.com
Rebecca Storey, Senior Press & PR Officer: 0207 902 1492 or Rebecca.s@shakespearesglobe.com Listings For full listings, visit www.shakespearesglobe.com/globetoglobe Globe 2012 Theatre Season – The Play’s The Thing Henry V by William Shakespeare Produced by Shakespeare's Globe in association with Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Directed by Dominic Dromgoole with Jamie Parker as Henry V From 7 June to 26 August The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare Directed by Toby Frow with Samantha Spiro as Katherina From 23 June to 13 October Richard III by William Shakespeare Produced by Shakespeare’s Globe, Sonia Friedman Productions and Shakespeare Road Directed by Tim Carroll, designed by Jenny Tiramani, music by Claire van Kampen, with Mark Rylance as Richard III From 14 July to 13 October Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare Produced by Shakespeare’s Globe, Sonia Friedman Productions and Shakespeare Road Directed by Tim Carroll, designed by Jenny Tiramani, music by Claire van Kampen, with Mark Rylance as Olivia From 22 September to 14 October EDITORS NOTES
Globe Exhibition and Tour is open all year round. For more information visit www.shakespearesglobe.com/exhibition Shakespeare’s Globe on film: The highly successful 2010 productions of Henry VIII and The Merry Wives of Windsor are now available on DVD from the Globe Shop, and will be available across the UK and internationally from July. DVDs of the award-winning productions of Henry IV, parts 1 and 2 are now st on sale internationally and in the Globe Shop, and will be available across the UK 1 August. Indoor Jacobean Theatre: Shakespeare’s Globe is currently fundraising to build an indoor Jacobean theatre, opening in 2013. For further information please visit www.shakespearesglobe.com/indoorjacobeantheatre Globe on Tour: The Globe’s productions tour the UK, Europe and America and the Globe is currently developing its touring schedule, as well as screening productions in cinemas. For more information www.shakespearesglobe.com/theatre/on-tour Globe Education presents a programme of workshops, lectures, events and staged readings all year round. For more information this programme of events call Globe Education 020 7902 1438 or visit www.shakespearesglobe.com/education Globe Shop stocks a variety of products, including theatre season specific merchandise. Shakespeare's Globe is a registered charity and all profits from sales go towards supporting our educational mission. Items can be bought at the onsite shop or online at www.shakespearesglobe.com/shop Swan at the Globe bar and restaurant is open all year round. For reservations please call 020 7928 9444. www.loveswan.co.uk The Shakespeare Globe Trust is a registered charity No.266916. Shakespeare’s Globe receives no public subsidy.