Most people know that Shakespeares primary theatre The Globe burned down during his lifetime. But what they probably dont know is that the fire was his fault. In 1613, a cannon was fired during a performance of one of Shakespeares lesser-known history plays, Henry VIII. A spark ignited the thatched roof and the whole place went up in flames. To be fair to Shakespeare, the cannon had been used for many years without incident. But to be unfair to him, it was a working cannon ignited directly underneath a bundle of straw every night for many years. Someone should have seen it coming. Remarkably, according to eye-witness accounts none of the audience were killed. The only reported injury is a man who had his breeches set on fire, before he put them out with a bottle of ale. And probably went right back to throwing vegetables at the actors.
