Summary
8 June 2012
Archaeologists in London say they've discovered the remains of an old Elizabethan theatre in which some of Shakespeare's early plays were seen. 'The Curtain' was probably only the second purpose-built theatre in England.
Reporter:
Vincent Dowd
Actors rehearse at the Globe Theatre in Central London.
Listen
Click to hear the report
Report
‘The Curtain’ theatre opened in 1577, a year after 'The Theatre' nearby. Most experts reckon that was the first dedicated theatre-building in England – earlier performances had been in tavern-yards or at court.
The approximate location of The Curtain was already known, but now experts at the Museum of London say they've identified remarkably intact elements of walling and the yard where poorer theatre-goers stood. The developers who own the site say they plan to incorporate the theatre's remains into their project.
The best-known Shakespearean theatre in London is the Globe - although that's a modern reconstruction, a short distance from the original site.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
Vocabulary
- dedicated
designed for a particular function
- performances
public shows
- tavern-yards
the area of ground behind a pub
- court
the home of an important person, often royalty
- approximate
rough, near
- intact
untouched, entire
- walling
upright side structure
- poorer theatre-goers
people lacking wealth who attended the theatre
- incorporate
combine, unite
- reconstruction
remake, re-creation
