Remains of William Shakespeare’s first theatre found in London yard
July 19th, 2010 - 1:19 pm ICT by ANIToronto, July 19 (ANI): Archaeologists have found the remains of London’s first theatre in a London yard-the site where William Shakespeare’s plays were performed.
Archaeologists have been digging since 2008 and have uncovered a section of outer wall and floor surface from the building, completed in 1576 and known simply as ‘The Theatre’ - whose timbers were later used to build ‘The Globe theatre’.
The Tower Theatre Company bought the site a few years ago and asked Museum of London archaeologists to have a look.
“We thought we’d better find out whether there was anything under there that would stop us building,” the Canadian Press quoted Penny Tuerk, chair of the troupe’s trustees, as saying.
“And they came back and said, ‘Actually, we’ve found a bit of Tudor brickwork.’ We got tremendously excited at that point,” he added.
The remains of ‘The Theatre’, were Elizabethan drama flourished more than 400 years ago, were discovered underneath a Victorian warehouse.
It is thought that plays including ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘The Merchant of Venice’ - as well as works by Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Kyd - were performed at ‘The Theatre’, which served as a base for Shakespeare’s troupe, the Chamberlain’s Men.
The remains of the original theatre will be displayed under glass as part of the new building, but the structure will be thoroughly modern.
“We’re not trying to recreate the 16th-century theatre. We’re trying to recreate the spirit of the 16th-century theatre,” said Tuerk. (ANI)
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Tags: 16th century, brickwork, century theatre, chamberlain, christopher marlowe, elizabethan drama, floor surface, globe theatre, london archaeologists, merchant of venice, museum of london, romeo and juliet, shakespeare, thomas kyd, timbers, tower theatre, tudor, tuerk, victorian warehouse, william shakespeare