There were two different types of playhouse in London during Shakespeare’s time. There were outdoor playhouses, also known as ‘amphitheatres’ or ‘public’ playhouses, and indoor playhouses, also known as ‘halls’ or ‘private’ playhouses. These were very different theatres that attracted different types of audiences.

Where was the first playhouse built?

The first playhouse, the Red Lion, was built in 1567 by John Brayne. He converted the Red Lion Inn, in Stepney, outside the city walls. There is little evidence of how successful it was, but the demand must have been there, because many more playhouses opened between the 1570s and the 1620s.

Where were the next playhouses built?

In 1576 Brayne and James Burbage built the Theatre, just outside the city walls. Burbage was an actor with the Earl of Leicester’s Men, who played in the Theatre for its first two years. Newington Butts theatre was built to the south in the same year. In 1577 the Curtain was built near the Theatre. After this, five more theatres were built and companies also performed regularly in the yards of several London inns. Not all theatres had performances of plays regularly and some theatres were also used for other types of entertainment.

Why build playhouses south of the Thames?

Playhouses drew big audiences, but they were not popular with everyone. The officials who ran the City of London thought that playhouses were noisy and disruptive, and attracted thieves and other ‘undesirable’ people. So people built playhouses on sites outside the control of city officials. This meant outside the city wall, in most cases. The south bank of the River Thames was outside the city and already had animal baiting arenas, brothels and taverns where people could buy food and drink. So people already went there for entertainment.