Daily Telegraph, 16 March 2010

Hoax Shakespeare is for real, says expert

Published on 16 March 2010 at 13:28
Daily Telegraph, 16 March 2010

Cover

A little known 18th century play is a lost Shakespeare, the Daily Telegraph reveals. According to experts, “Double Falsehood”, penned in 1727 by Lewis Theobald, is indeed - as its author then claimed - an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Cardenio”, performed twice in 1613 and then lost. Dismissed as a hoax in its time, a scholar has confirmed “its authenticity from historical evidence and analysis of the text.” The claim is backed by the Arden Shakespeare series, which is publishing Theobald’s work. The Royal Shakespeare Company is also working towards a reconstruction of the original, which includes typical Shakespearean fare of sword fights, cross-dressing and a blood-bath finale.

Tags

Was this article useful? If so we are delighted!

It is freely available because we believe that the right to free and independent information is essential for democracy. But this right is not guaranteed forever, and independence comes at a cost. We need your support in order to continue publishing independent, multilingual news for all Europeans.

Discover our subscription offers and their exclusive benefits and become a member of our community now!

Are you a news organisation, a business, an association or a foundation? Check out our bespoke editorial and translation services.

Support independent European journalism

European democracy needs independent media. Join our community!

On the same topic