Reimagining Shakespeare: How Fiona Crombie Crafted a Raw and Real Globe Theatre for *Hamnet*
Ever wondered how filmmakers bring history to life? Production designer Fiona Crombie faced a unique challenge when recreating Shakespeare's iconic Globe Theatre for Chloé Zhao's Hamnet. They couldn't simply film at the real Globe, and here's why.
"The Globe Theatre that we see today is historically a different Globe than what we wanted to have in our film," Crombie explains. The original burned down, meaning the modern Globe isn't a perfect match. This gave Crombie creative freedom to design a Globe that suited the story and their artistic vision. And this is the part most people miss...
A Stage, Not a Showpiece: Crombie's vision was clear: the theater itself shouldn't steal the spotlight. "The theater was built as a place to put the play on, as opposed to being a centerpiece itself... Ours was rough and rustic and simple because I wanted everybody’s eyes to be on stage." This meant a focus on functionality and a raw aesthetic, ensuring the actors and the play were the stars.
A Fully Functional Theatre: Crombie didn't just build a stage; she constructed a complete theater. This included backstage areas, not always visible on screen, where stagehands could move props and prepare for scenes. They even filmed a significant portion of Hamlet within this meticulously crafted space.
A Nod to Shakespeare's World: The backstage area was dressed to evoke the atmosphere of any of Shakespeare's plays. "We dressed the backstage as though it could put on any of Shakespeare’s plays to that point, so there was a nod to A Midsummer Night’s Dream and some others." This included a full armory, period costumes, and even oyster shells, which Crombie discovered were used to hold makeup.
Interpreting History: Illustrations of the original Globe often had exaggerated features, so the team relied on their own interpretation. "The biggest light bulb moment for me was discovering that the wood could have actually been stolen from another theater that had been dismantled, so it’s not bespoke. It was sort of gathered and put together to create the theater.” This detail gave the set a sense of authenticity and resourcefulness.
A Personal Touch: The real Globe would have had Shakespeare watching from above, but Crombie wanted a more intimate perspective. This allowed for a more personal and engaging experience for the audience. But here's where it gets controversial...
What do you think about the choices made in recreating the Globe Theatre? Do you agree with the focus on a raw, functional aesthetic? Share your thoughts in the comments! What other historical details do you find fascinating when it comes to filmmaking?
