When was England’s first theatre built and by whom? What was it like to see a play? What was the complex relationship between City authorities, playgoers and theatre practitioners? What was London like in the Tudor and Stuart era. These are all questions that fascinate me and I have been endeavouring to find truthful answers for over thirty years. You may find my conclusions somewhat at odds with what you have previously heard. I’m an actor by profession and have worked at Shakespeare’s Globe, The RSC, The Old Vic and theatres across the UK, as well as TV, but my spare time is spent trying to understand what it was really like in Shakespeare’s London. Using letters, diaries, travelogues, church and court records, City ordinances, pamphlets, ballads and the plays themselves, I use the words of those who were there, to seek truth. My talks give insight to our ancestors’ experiences, but also unlock a way of looking at Early Modern play texts in a way that is practical, exciting and illuminating.