You’ll remember that, in a previous post, I mentioned that the Globe Theatre had trapdoors in the floor of the elevated stage, allowing for creative entrances and exits. Actors could also use different-colored smoke to set the scene by burning various salts and alcohol in the space beneath the stage. Actors and set pieces could also be raised and lowered through a fixture in the ceiling, a feature still common to theaters today. This Halloween, let’s dive deeper into the other special effects used in the Elizabethan era. Shakespeare’s plays are full of magic, battles, and death, but how was all of it pulled off onstage?

Firstly, the blood. There is so much of it in Elizabethan drama. Where could it all possibly come from? As it turned out, the blood of pigs, sheep, or bulls was a popular choice for replacing human blood onstage. This blood would be placed in an animal bladder beneath a layer of clothing, only to burst when stabbed, hit, or otherwise pierced. Animal parts were also used when bones or other body parts were necessary.

What about live animals? Many of Shakespeare’s stage directions call for live animals to enter and exit the stage. (Most notable is A Winter’s Tale’s “Exeunt, pursued by a bear”.) It is unclear to this day whether real animals or costumes were used for the parts of bears, dogs, and the like. Animal-fight-based entertainments, including cockfighting, bear-baiting, and dog fights, were extremely popular at that time, and were held right next to the Globe in the packed London entertainment districts. It’s certainly possible that live animals were brought in for some scenes (rather than spending an exorbitant amount on more costumes).

The sound effects of Elizabethan drama were also surprisingly competent. A real cannon was often used to announce important entrances, mimicking the real fanfare for important people. (As you might remember, this particular effect led to the accidental burning of the first Globe Theatre during a production of Henry VIII.) Rolling a cannonball around or shaking a metal sheet created the sound of thunder, and fireworks imitated battle noise. There was music, too. Shakespeare commissioned musicians to write music and perform it. There’s plenty of music explicitly described in stage directions and dialogue, but it’s likely that incidental music played a role in many scenes as well.

In conclusion, I would say the Elizabethan theater’s special effects were really engaging, multi-sensory, and competent for the time period. In fact, they were much more engaging than most we have today (and also much more dangerous). Would you pay to hear actual cannons and smell the blood of pigs?