Archaeologists claim discovery of Shakespeare's first theatre

London, March 10 (ANI): A team of archaeologists has claimed to have unearthed the remains of Shakespeare's first theatre in London, England.

According to a report by BBC News, a team from the Museum of London found the remains of the theatre in Shoreditch last summer.

In 1576, it is thought the Bard acted there and that it also hosted the premiere of Romeo and Juliet.

Taryn Nixon, from the Museum of London, said that her team had found part of the original curved wall of the playhouse, which was believed to be polygonal in shape.

A metre and a half below street level, it has also uncovered the gravel surface, gently sloping down towards the stage, where the bulk of the audience would have stood.

But, the archaeologists fear the stage itself may be buried underneath a housing development.

Nixon told the BBC that the theatre was built in what were known as "the suburbs of sin" just outside the city.

"The Lord Mayor actually passed a decree that there shouldn't be any theatrical performances in the city. So, just on the edge of the city is actually, classically, where you find all the slightly wilder, slightly more fun activities going on," she said.

The theatre was constructed by James Burbage, possibly using bricks from an old priory.

It is thought to have played host to Shakespeare's theatre company, the Chamberlain's Men.

About 25 years after it was built, it was dismantled and moved timber by timber to construct the Globe Theatre on the South Bank of the Thames.

According to Penny Tuerk, from the Tower Theatre Company, it would be a 21st Century equivalent of the original playhouse - a "no frills, hard-working place of entertainment" - that would bring London theatre "back to its roots".

"Imagine actors in the future crossing the theatre and perhaps paying homage to Shakespeare as they go on stage for luck," she added. (ANI)