Costume, Makeup and Special Effects

This guide will look at the three important production elements of Shakespeare’s plays: costume, makeup, and special effects. During the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras, costume was a major investment for an acting company. Makeup was also important in defining a character to the audience and identifying age, status, and race. Finally, plays in Shakespeare’s day did not make extensive use of scenery or elaborate sets, but chose instead to rely on the language and text of the play to convey the setting and atmosphere. However, they did make fine use of certain special effects to enhance their productions, which we will explore.

Key Dates & Events

• 1592 - William Shakespeare left his family behind in Stratford-upon-Avon to move to London around this time.
• 1599 - The first Globe Theatre opened and was a huge success.
• 1599 - The first of Shakespeare’s plays to be performed at the Globe Theatre was believed to have been Julius Caesar.
• 1613 - The first Globe Theatre burned down in an hour when a burning roll of gunpowder set alight the wall of the theatre during a performance of Henry VIII.