‘The Tempest’ and ‘King Lear’ at the Globe
Every year in summer I spend a couple of magical afternoons amid the mob of the Yard at the Globe Theatre. For an incredible £5 you get the best view (I think) of the action, as long as you can stand for three hours and bring several layers and a rain coat just in case. A couple of years back I reported on All’s Well that Ends Well and Dr Faustus. This last week I have been to The Tempest and King Lear (about to tour and absolutely worth catching). Here are some sketches.
Last time I was here I drew more of the architecture of the surroundings. But on these visits I was more interested in the actors, sorry I mean players, themselves. I have been drawing and painting a lot of portraits recently, which often involves people sitting still for a long time and thus having fairly blank faces. In fact, I think I’ve never actually had the opportunity to draw emotional faces before. The joy of these few hours drawing at the Globe is being caught up in so many emotions and expressions which are hard, and thrilling, to try and draw. Focus, fury, madness, joviality, confusion, horror, are all on display as the players criss and cross the stage and Yard. I only wish I could sneak backstage and make some closer studies of all the interesting faces and characters! I’ll be back for more sketching over summer, many more plays to come…
The Tempest
Colin Morgan as Ariel
James Garnon as Caliban
Roger Allam as Prospero
Roger Allam as Prospero
King Lear
Joseph Marcell as King Lear
King Lear battles the storm
Rawiri Paratene as the Duke of Gloucester (having had his eyes gouged out) 
King Lear stumbles around in his long johns, now mad, with Gloucester
Wonderful! I’ve been wanting to go the the globe for a while now. Your fantastic drawings have made me want to go even more. Think I’ll go have a look at their website. £5 for a standing ticket is not to be sniffed at. Comfy shoes it is!
Really admire your ability to make these great sketches whilst having to stand up!
love roger allam and ariel
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Hi Joanna! Love these! No idea how you draw as a groundling, but these are amazing! I’m from the team behind All-Allam.com (website actor Roger Allam) We’re getting a whole new look and we are hoping to include some art. These are wonderful sketches of him! Can we add them to our art gallery? You will get full credit and a link to your website of course, and if you want it deleted for whatever reason in the future we will do so immediately. Thank you in advance!
All the best, the All-Allam team