Shakespeare’s Curtain Theater remains found in London

Archaeologists say the newly-found Elizabethan theater remains belong to the place where some of William Shakespeare's plays were first performed.

A team from the Museum of London Archaeology (Mola) stumbled upon remains of the Curtain Theater in Shoreditch, east of the Briish capital of London.

"This is a fantastic site which gives us unique insight into early Shakespearean theatres," the state-funded BBC quoted lead archaeologist Chris Thomas as saying.

Opened in 1577, the venue was immortalized by Shakespeare as "this wooden O" in the prologue to his Henry V.

The new discovery includes parts of the playhouse's yard and gallery walls.

"This is one of the most significant Shakespearean discoveries of recent years," said a spokesman for Plough Yard Developments, which owns the site.

"Although The Curtain was known to have been in the area, its exact location was a mystery.

"The quality of the remains found is remarkable and we are looking forward to working with Mola, [the] local community and Shakespearean experts to develop plans that will give the public access to the theatre remains as part of a new development."

The Curtain was run by James Burbage and was home to Shakespeare's Company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, from 1597 until The Globe opened two years later.

Experts believe many famous plays premiered in the Curtain such as Henry V, Romeo and Juliet and Ben Jonson's Every Man in His Humor.

"I look forward to touching the mud and stone, if not wood, and feeling the presence of that space where Shakespeare's early work, including the histories, made such a lasting impact," said Royal Shakespeare Company’s artistic director Michael Boyd.

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