We lived outside of London for 4 years, 2005-2009. In a city where everything was extremely expensive, the one true bargain was to attend the Globe. For £5 you could stand in the well, the open area around the stage. An actual seat was expensive, but of you were willing to stand for the entire performance you could enjoy incredible performances. I even took my older children a few times (there were a few steps on the outside of the well, they would let children sit on them, but no adults!). It's one of my favorite memories of the city. We would try to arrive early so we could spend a few minutes at the State Modern next door, and after the performance you could walk across the beautiful bridge to St. Paul's Cathedral. I hope the government steps up to save the Globe, it's a gift to even those of very modest means.
Groundlings!
That's what they were called: "groundlings." Shakespeare wrote the comic bits in even his darkest tragedies for them, so they wouldn't get bored and start throwing food at the performers (that's where the trope in Bugs Bunny came from. Willie Nelson talks about playing honky-tonks with chicken wire over the stage so the beer bottles wouldn't hit the band.)
I don't have a bucket list, but if I did, it would include "Be a groundling." Especially if I could sneak in a few tomatoes.
I am so jealous.
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