For state secondary schools in London and Birmingham, applications will open on Monday 16th September 2024, initially until Monday 7 October. Applications received during this time will be ranked based on FSM% (percentage of students eligible for Free School Meals) and tickets will be allocated accordingly. If you apply during this period, then you will hear whether your application has been successful before October Half Term.

The Globe has 850 seats and 550 ‘groundling’ or standing tickets available for each schools performance of Macbeth. These iconic ‘groundling’ tickets are a large part of what makes the Globe such a unique, lively, and interactive performance space! To discover more about the historical context of the ‘groundling’ ticket, you can read this extract  from Andrew Gurr, ‘Traps and Discoveries at the Globe’, Proceedings of the British Academy 94 (1997), pp 88-89. 

For state secondary schools in London and Birmingham: by submitting your application, you are accepting that you may be allocated groundling (standing) tickets. Please note: if any of your group cannot stand for access reasons, it is vital that you let us know this as part of your application form. 

For all other schools: as part of your application for subsidised tickets, you will be able to select either £5 groundling (standing) tickets, or £15 seated tickets. 

For state secondary schools in London and Birmingham: to ensure the project achieves its core mission of promoting equality of opportunity, we prioritise schools with higher FSM% (percentage of students eligible for Free School Meals) in our allocation of free-to-access tickets, workshops and CPD places. Applications will therefore be ranked based on schools’ FSM%, and tickets will be allocated accordingly.  

For all other schools: subsidised tickets are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications for these will open on 14 October 2024. 

Seat allocation: We allocate seated and standing tickets at random (except for paid schools), but please be assured that all access needs will be accounted for. We ask that you make us aware of any access requirements at the point of booking or email us as soon as possible to ensure that the above is possible.  

We aim to create a culture and environment in which everyone’s experience at Shakespeare’s Globe is welcoming, safe, and enjoyable. We ask that you provide us with as much information as possible about the access need/s (and how they are accommodated at school) during the application process, so that we can facilitate your visit accordingly.  

We have the following accessible performances available for Macbeth:  

• Integrated British Sign Language and Captioned: Monday 31 March, 2pm and Wednesday 2 April, 2pm  

• Audio Described (provided via headsets): Tuesday 25 March, 2pm and Tuesday 1 April, 2pm

• We have wheelchair spaces available for each performance, subject to availability  

During schools’ performances, we operate an open-door policy so that attendees can come and go as they please. All students under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times while on the Shakespeare’s Globe site, including when entering and exiting the theatre. We can offer familiarisation visits for those who benefit from seeing the theatres before the day of the performance. A visual story will be available to download near the time, which includes information about the production and your visit to our site. There are ear defenders available in different sizes to borrow from the Welcome Desk in the main foyer.   

If you inform us when booking of any individuals who require seating, we will do our best to ensure they are given seated tickets. However, this does not guarantee that the remainder of the group will be seated as well.

Yes, we provide risk assessment guidelines for schools, which can be accessed here. Please note that this will be reviewed periodically before the performances; if any information changes on this guidance all school bookers will be contacted with the updated changes. We also provide a Code of Conduct to all schools, which can be accessed here. 

You can bring as many students as you want to see the show; however, we limit bookings to 250 students from each school per performance. You can still make your entire booking using the same application form, which will guide you through how you would like to split the group if you want to bring over 250. 

We request a ratio of 1 teacher to every 15 students; however, if your school safeguarding or trips policy has different requirements then you will be asked to communicate this to us as part of your application so that we can assess that your ratio is suitable. 

Our Risk Assessment Guidelines state: Students must be supervised at all times with a suitable ratio of staff to students as the Globe will not act in loco parentis. All areas must be appropriately staffed by the school so that students are not left alone with members of Globe Staff or the public. Our safeguarding policy can be found here. 

If you are a state secondary school from London or Birmingham, please complete the application form for free-to-access tickets, which can be found here. 

All other schools (including secondary state schools outside London and Birmingham, independent schools, and primary schools wishing to bring year 6) will need to complete the application form for subsidised tickets, which will be available from 14 October. 

Please ensure that you complete the correct application form, as submitting the wrong form could lead to delays in your application being processed. 

Secondary state schools outside London and Birmingham, independent schools, and primary schools (Year 6 only) are eligible for subsidised tickets to any of our schools’ performances. Home education groups are also eligible for subsidised tickets. Applications for these will open on 14 October 2024.  

All other groups are able to book tickets to our public performances of Macbeth. Bookings for these will open in November 2024, and will be bookable on a first-come, first-served basis, through our Box Office and via our website.  

Please inform us on your application form if you require a prayer space. We have limited space on-site, and aim to meet requests wherever possible, although this cannot always be guaranteed.

We have wheelchair spaces available for each performance, subject to availability . Please indicate on your application form how many wheelchair spaces you need, along with any other important information.

Two parking spaces (large enough to accommodate a minibus) are available on a first come, first served basis. If you require one of these, please also indicate this on your application form.  

The nearest tube station is London Bridge, and there is flat access all the way to the Globe from there.  

Macbeth will run for schools’ performances from 6 March – 2 April 2025. There will also be performances available for public booking following this; bookings for these will open in late November.  

Yes, we have evening shows for schools’ audiences on Tuesday 11 March and Thursday 20 March for schools requesting subsidised tickets, or Thursday 13 March, 7pm and Tuesday 18 March, 7pm for free schools. You can request these performances using the standard application form.  

No, the show runs for approximately 90 minutes without an interval, however, we do have an open-door policy, meaning students can leave to go to the toilet, or take a break if they need, at any point during the show, as long as they are accompanied by an adult. All students under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times whilst on the Shakespeare’s Globe site, including when entering and exiting the theatre.   

Shakespeare called his theatre a ‘wooden O’ and like his historic playhouse our Globe Theatre is a 360° auditorium. With no roof over the central yard, the theatre is open-air and audiences who attend performances and tours are told to dress for the weather! Events will go ahead in rain, shine and snow. 

Seats are arranged in galleries all around the wide, open stage, so spectators and performers can see each other at all times. The Globe Theatre is a space where the audience has always been a vital component of the performance. 

We understand that this is a possibility throughout the leadup to your visit, however, please make us aware as soon as possible (via email) so that we can update our system. Otherwise, your school may not receive our automated emails containing important information regarding your trip.  

Feel free to get in contact with us via [email protected]. 

Please also check back nearer your visit, as we will be updating our FAQs page regularly.