Elizabethan Effects In Romeo And Juliet

On June 29, 1613, during Shakespeare's play, Henry V, a cannon was used to add flair to the arrival of King Henry; however, the outcome was not a dignified entrance. The special effect resulted in a grand exit. The wadding, cloth put inside the cannon, was fired out of the cannon. It landed on the roof and ignited a fire which burnt down the famous Globe Theatre (Allison 68). Most special effects used during the Elizabethan Era did not cause any destruction; therefore, stage crews felt comfortable adding them to the plays. Special effects made plays more dramatic and realistic. The most commonly used Elizabethan effects were the illusion of a storm, trapdoors, and bloodshed; even though, these effects were simple they immersed the audience …show more content…
Romeo and Juliet was a very successful Elizabethan play performed at the Globe. (Currie 56). The play was popular because Shakespeare wrote it; nevertheless, theatergoers returned to watch it over because of the fascinating special effects. The audience members were able to escape their daily lives and be entertained by a play which contained intriguing special effects. One contemporary theatergoer stated, during a tragedy, it was “common to see members of the audiences ‘weeping and mourning’ along with the actors” (Currie 66). During comedies, he remarked that the audience “generally take up a wonderful laughter and shout together with one voice” (Currie 66). The best way to get these types of responses from the spectators was to make the plays as realistic as possible; however, many special effects were expensive, so they were not used all the time. However, creating the illusion of storms, using trapdoors, and producing a scene full of bloodshed were not costly. When these special effects were used, they captivated the Elizabethan theater audience and left them begging for