The Theatre

The Theatre was an Elizabethan playhouse located in Shoreditch just outside the City of London. It was the second permanent theatre ever built in England, after the Red Lion, and the first successful one. The Theatre's history includes a number of important acting troupes including the Lord Chamberlain's Men which employed William Shakespeare as actor and playwright. After a dispute with the landlord, the theatre was dismantled and the timbers used in the construction of the Globe Theater.

The Theatre in Ruled Britannia
In 1598, a sell-out crowd gathered at The Theatre to see the debut of William Shakespeare's King Philip. Instead, the doors were locked behind them, and they saw Boudicca. The majority of the crowd was inspired by the play to take part in an uprising against Spanish forces in England. They stormed the Tower of London and liberated Queen Elizabeth.

Several weeks later, having been restored to her throne, Elizabeth visited The Theatre to see an encore performance of Boudicca. She was inspired by the play to become the new patron of The Queen's Men, and knighted Shakespeare on the stage.