London SE1 community website

Floating playhouse celebrates Shakespeare’s birthday

London SE1 website team

A floating replica of an Elizabethan playhouse travlled from Butler's Wharf to Bankside on Wednesday as part of Shakepeare's Globe's celebrations of the Bard's 444th birthday.

Floating playhouse celebrates Shakespeare’s birthday
Floating playhouse celebrates Shakespeare’s birthday
Floating playhouse celebrates Shakespeare’s birthday

The playhouse was set up on the deck of the MV Edwardian, built in 1985 for Sir Richard Branson and now owned by Thames Luxury Charters.

Along the way musicians in costume performed a range of music on authentic renaissance instruments.

Although there were few spectators to see the boat set off from Butler's Wharf Pier there was a large crowd at Bankside.

The Shakespeare's Birthday event – which was also part of the GLA-funded celebrations of St George's Day – marked the start of the Globe's 2008 theatre season which opened on Wednesday with a production of King Lear directed by Dominic Dromgoole.

The SE1 website is supported by people like you
We are part of
Independent Community News Network
Email newsletter

For the latest local news and events direct to your inbox every Monday, you need our weekly email newsletter SE1 Direct.

Archive
News archive from February 1999 to January 2001
Got a story for us?
Contact us with your tip-offs and story ideas.