Não brinquem com o fogo!

 When special effects go wrong...

On 29 June 1613, the original Globe Theatre burned down during a performance of “Henry VIII” (also known as “All Is True”).

About half an hour into the show, a stage hand in the attic fired a small cannon to announce the entrance of the king, but the lit wadding caught in the thatch. Within minutes, the thatch was ignited - flames ripping around the roof like sparks of a gunpowder trail - and the entire building was set aflame!

3,000 people made for the exits. Imagine the chaos! But amazingly, no one was killed! In fact, our favorite tidbit from this tale was the theatergoer whose breeches caught fire... he had the wits to put out the flame with his bottle of ale!

Although it’s likely that The King’s Men (for whom the Globe Theatre was their theatrical home) lost equipment and props, they probably saved most of their valuable playscripts and costumes.

All was not lost: within a year the Globe was back… and this time, with a flameproof tiled roof!

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