Penny Tuerk in conversation with Dan Cruikshank

 
Penny Tuerk and Dan Cruikshank discuss the script with Director Karen Kirk.

The crew were fascinated by our collection of props and furniture and set up a shot looking through the barbed wire.

The cameraman setting up on the balcony

The roof of our site viewed from above.

The view of Shoreditch from the balcony.

Archaeologists uncovering "The Theatre"

It was a thrilling few weeks – even for the non-archaeologists amongst us! The Museum of London completed digging at the proposed site of our new home – 4-6 New Inn Broadway, London EC2. To quote their press release: “Findings from the current excavation are the remains of what is believed to be the inner wall of the polygonal theatre. There was probably no outer wall but a series of brick piers supporting the upper floors. A sloping gravel surface uncovered by the Museum’s archaeologists would have been the yard in which audiences stood, exposed to the elements. The direction of the slope suggests that the stage is likely to have stood just south of the current site. Finds within the yard include a fragment of 16th-century pottery featuring the image of a man with beard and ruff.”

Once it was established there was something to look at, we had a flood of visitors. Excitingly, the BBC came and did a feature on Radio Four’s Today programme (Monday 9th March) – there’s also a video on their website. Links to these are here and here.

Lots of other people came – press, Tower people, local artists, local residents and people who work in the area as well as theatre-lovers – famous and less famous. We were particularly delighted to welcome Nick Ormerod and Declan Donellan, directors of Cheek by Jowl who had driven all the way from Calais the minute they heard the news on the radio just to view the hallowed ground. Sir Ian McKellen even took time out from his tour of Waiting for Godot to visit the excavations. After he had experienced standing on "The Theatre" floor he spent some time talking to Penny Tuerk and offered his support for our plans.

The fragment of 16th century pottery found at the site - known to us colloquially as "Beauvais Boy"!

Tower members viewing a selection of artifacts found at the site

We’ve also secured some other key supporters for our fundraising project, which will kick off shortly. Ken Stott and Michael Pennington (who both visited the site) have agreed to become patrons, as has long-standing Friend (and former President) of the Tower Theatre Company, Richard Baker.

Here's a link to an article written by Penny Tuerk in the New Statesman :
Acting on Shakespeare's theatre

and here's another interesting article published online :
£3 million bid to resurrect first London theatre on 16th century site

and finally, the Hackney Post had this feature :
Hackney’s close Shakespeare connection revealed