The Hope Theatre - Elizabethan Amphitheatre The Amphi-theatre was located on the Bankside in Southwark on the site of the Bear Garden. Philip Henslowe and Jacob Meade cleared the site and built the theater in 1613-14. The contract for the Hope, dated Aug. 29, 1613 survived (as did the contract for the Fortune Theatre) It describes the structure and indicates that, except for the movable stage which was a necessary feature because of its dual purpose as a bear-baiting ring, it was designed after the Swan Theatre. It was agreed that bearbaiting would occupy the theater only once every two weeks but the sport proved to be more profitable than the plays. Players to left the theatre after Henslowe's death in 1616. The theatre was rarely used for plays after 1616 but bearbaiting continued until 1656 when the Hope was closed as a result of several bearbaiting accidents.
