In this, the 400th anniversary year of Shakespeare’s death, exciting discoveries have been revealed concerning the site of the Curtain playhouse. This was the venue that saw early performances of his Romeo and Juliet and Henry V. Dr Eva Griffith leads actors and other experts in a talks, maps and performance-based day.

10.30 - 11.15am: The Measure of the Curtain: instigators, owners, sharers and players. In an introductory documents and maps-based talk, Eva Griffith discusses previous and current understanding of the Curtain playhouse - while sharing some new ideas.

11.15am - 12noon: Bringing up the Curtain Recent Archaeological Excavations in London's First Theatreland. Heather Knight, leading figure at the recent dig by Museum of Lon-don Archaeology, explains what was found in Shoreditch and her current thinking.

12noon - 1pm: Panel session: Visiting the ‘Curtain’, Shoreditch - what was it like in Shakespeare’s time? What could it be compared to? Including Peter McCurdy of Shakespeare's Globe and Prof. Duncan Salkeld, chaired by Robert Stagg.

1 - 2pm: Lunch

2 - 2.45pm: Round and otherwise: plays and dancing, singing and songs. Dr. Griffith, Tamsin Lewis and Michael Palmer of Passamezzo early music consort will lead participants in appreciation of some ‘north-of-the-walls’ playhouse music and dance.

3 - 4pm: Curtain “plaudities” and playing “the man” It is known Romeo and Juliet was performed at the Curtain because it was said to have won “plaudities” (applause) there. Vignettes from Curtain and Bankside plays will be presented alongside others from related repertoires. What can drama teach us about what the Curtain was like?’

‘That’s the fat fool of the Curtain, and the lean fool of the Bull
Since Shank did leave to sing his rhymes he is counted but a gull:
The players of the Bankside, the round Globe and the Swan
Will teach you idle tricks of love but the Bull will play the man.’ (Turner’s Dish)