Early Shakespeare Theatre Site Discovered
Date: 13 January 1999
Shakespeare fans may soon have another London destination for pilgrimages in addition to Sam Wanamaker's reconstructed Globe Theatre on the south bank of the Thames. English Heritage believes it has pinpointed the site across the river of Shakespeare's first playhouse, aptly named The Theatre, in the City of London, the capital's financial district, near Liverpool Street Station.
The news comes as part of the charity's survey of probable surviving remains of Shakespearean theatrical venues. Nearly two dozen other theatre sites with archeological potential have also been identified, including the Southwark-based Rose which was built in 1613 as a theatre and bear-baiting arena and was the place where Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair was first performed.
But the real find is The Theatre, built in 1576 and the scene of numerous Shakespeare premieres including Romeo and Juliet and Richard III. The Theatre was dismantled in 1598, with many timbers going into the construction of the Globe, the more renowned home venue for Shakespeare.
The bard's influence on the British - as well as international - public remains powerful. In a recent survey conducted by BBC Radio Four, Shakespeare was voted the British Personality of the Millennium. With 11,717 votes, he edged Winston Churchill (with 10,957 votes) out of the top spot.
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