Many people are aware of the plays of William Shakespeare along with his famous playhouse, the Globe on London’s Bankside. The Shakespearean London Theatres (ShaLT) project can now tell the full story behind the vast theatrical scene that thrilled London for over fifty years during the reigns of Elizabeth I, James I and Charles I. This was an early theatreland that thrived from the 1570s to the closure of all theatres in 1642 when the civil wars began. Without the playhouses of the Shakespearean period, the modern theatreland of London’s West End would not have been possible.
This website tells the illustrated story of the playhouses, entrepreneurs, audiences, actors and dramatists that made up this founding theatrical industry. Our downloadable Walking Map gives the locations of all of the London theatres, offering those interested five suggested walks to visit the original London sites, all within two miles’ radius of St Paul’s.
The ShaLT project also offers further products and activities: a printed version of the map; a smartphone App for use with the map; a series of expert lectures at the V&A Museum from April to August 2013; a series of short filmed documentaries, and a printed, fully-illustrated Guide, available through Amazon.