Newington Butts Theatre, Elizabethan theatre in Southwark, England
Newington Butts Theatre was an octagonal or circular building with tiered seating that held roughly 1,500 to 3,000 people for performances. The structure used open walls and simple timber construction to bring the audience closer to the stage action.
The theatre opened around 1580 on a former archery ground after being constructed quickly. It was among the first playhouses built outside London's original jurisdiction and helped spread theatre culture across the city.
The name came from the nearby archery ranges that once occupied the site, connecting the theatre to the neighborhood's past uses of the land. Local people saw the building become a gathering place that shaped how they used their district.
The building relied entirely on daylight, so performances happened mainly during summer months when days were longer. During darker seasons, the theatre shut down and other venues took over the productions.
Construction was finished in just six months, remarkably fast for a building this size in that era. This speedy building method using low-cost materials let operators start making money right away.
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