People: Jul. 21, 1986

To be or not to be? That was the question, whether American Actor-Director < Sam Wanamaker (Raw Deal) was going to realize his 30-year-old dream of rebuilding Shakespeare's Globe Theater. That hallowed arena on the south bank of the Thames probably held the first productions of King Lear and Macbeth before it burned to the ground in 1613. Wanamaker first visited the site in 1949, found only a brass plaque on a wall beside the debris-strewn riverbank and felt, "well, outrage." Over the years he and his Shakespeare Globe Trust faced the slings and arrows of competition from other restoration drives...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!