In the early 16th Century, groups of travelling actors would perform in the courtyard of inns. They set up a stage against one wall. Those who came to see the performance could view from the ground, and those who were staying at the inn could watch from their rooms - like a private box. One of these theatres was Blackfriar's Theatre, owned by a man called James Burbage, who, in 1597 died. The theatre was left …showed first 75 words of 460 total…

…showed last 75 words of 460 total…June 1997, its Opening Season ran from 29 May to 21 September 1997, and every summer it now offers performances of plays by Shakespeare and his contemporaries on the type of stage they were written for, many of them in authentic clothing. Shakespeare's Globe is now a reconstruction of the original Southwark theatre. The Shakespeare Globe Centre is an educational, cultural and entertainment centre which includes a museum under the theatre, research facilities and an exhibition of Elizabethan London.