Shakespeare spent his acting career with a group of actors called the Lord Chamberlain's Company.

When James I became King, in 1603, they renamed themselves the King's Company.

The group performed in two theatres near the banks of the river Thames in London - the Globe and Blackfriars.

Globe Theatre

The Globe Theatre was built in 1598-99 but burnt down in 1613. It was rebuilt in 1614, only to be destroyed 30 years later.

In 1997 it was re-opened about two hundred yards from the original site. It has lime plastered walls and a thatched roof, just like the original.

Unlike today, Shakespeare's audiences often talked throughout the performances, ate noisy food such as nuts, booed, hissed and hurled things at the actors.

Boys played women

In Shakespeare's time, girls and women were not allowed to act on stage so all the female parts had to be played by boys.

The boys, aged 10 and upwards, eventually played men's parts, but not until their voices had broken.