How much was admission to one of Shakespeare’s plays?
A penny got you standing room. 2 pennies got you a seat. 3 pennies got you a seat with a cushion.
I just finished* Will In The World*, and the author mentioned this pricing scale for the Globe.
know the modern-day equivalent, perchance?
Well, in 1625 a penny would get you a quart of the best ale, 2 quarts of ordinary ale, or one night of a feather bed in a tavern so equipped.
silenus: “A penny got you standing room. Two pence (or twopence or tuppence) got you a seat. Three pence (or threepence, pronounced ‘thruppence’) got you a seat with a cushion.”
“How fiery and forward our pedant is!” The Taming of the Shrew, III, i, out of context.
It’d be very difficult to convert one penny to modern currency, because different types of goods have changed price at very different rates. Consider some of the examples – a night at a hotel with a feather bed would cost far more than two pints of ‘premium’ beer. Given those examples, though, I think it’s reasonable that attending a play at the Globe would’ve cost about as much as seeing a movie today – perhaps a little less for standing room, and a little more for a seat. Say about US$ 10.
Now, I wonder how much the Globe’s concession stands charged for a sausage or a bowl of hot buttered oatmeal…
If you’re interested, The Globe’s Website contains details of ticket prices for different seats. It’s tucked away under the “Theatre” heading, then the “Box Office” option, then “Seating Plan and Ticket Prices”.
A brief overview:
Standing £5
Seat with poor view £13
Seat with medium view £18
Seat with good view £25
Seat with great view £29
No mention of cushions, I’m afraid.
Of course, that’s in GBP. Feel free to work it out in $, or whatever your local currency is.
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, in Stratford Upon Avon, may be considered closer to representing the modern Globe, because it’s where the RSC do most of their productions. It’s prices range from £10 for a truly awful view to £40 for a great one.