Could only rich people go to the plays during Shakespeare's time?

Answer 1

the rich people would spend thousands of pounds to sit in special seats above the theatre stage they wouldn't be able to see the play but would shout remarks at the actors to show off to the groundings.

Answer 2

no but they always get the better seats near the top wear you could see the actors better poor people would sit at the bottom and beacuse the stagee was raised they would not beable to see the actors but mearly hear them blabbing on about somehting and withu being able to see theier facial expressions it would be hard to tell what was going on but theoor people wouldnt care because they wouldnt usually bealbe to get out they would have to work

Answer 3

Nope- they just got the best seats. The rich could afford higher up areas with benches, giving them a better view. The poorer people could get in for a penny, but they had to stand on the ground up close to (but lower than) the stage.

Because they didn't wash much, they were known as "penny stinkers," and because they often didn't have the education or the refinement of the rich folks, they much preferred the swordfights, the supernatural scenes, and the sexy bits that Shakespeare would put in. In fact, almost every one of Shakespeare's tragedies start with one of those three things. It was important to keep the penny stinkers happy, because they would tend to yell and throw rotten vegetables at the actors if they got bored or didn't like the show.

This is also where the phrase 'break a leg' comes from. It's used to wish an actor luck, and it comes from the old fashioned way of bowing at the end of a show. Back then, the actors would bend a leg behind them, looking more like a girl's curtsey. It was referred to as 'breaking a leg' because of its appearance. The bows took place at the end of a show, so telling an actor to break a leg meant hoping that they got through the entire show without being pelted by vegetables or stopped by a riot of bored peasants.

Answer 4

Back when Shakespeare was writing them, just about anybody could go to see the plays, because the outdoor theatres were large and the tickets were relatively cheap. Afterwards theatregoing became a more expensive and exclusive activity.

Answer 5

In Shakespeare's time, rich people often sat on the stage, especially in the smaller and more intimate indoor theatres. This fact is used dramatically in Beaumont and Fletcher's play The Knight of the Burning Pestle, where two actors sit on chairs on the stage and portray audience members.

Answer 6

No. But they get the best seats. The poor people stood in the stalls.

Answer 7

no it was for poor people too because the rich people sat down at the top so they can see better but the poor people stood around the stage.

Answer 8

Not the poorest of the poor, but even apprentices could scare up a penny to get into the theatre to see a play.