The play’s the thing: Scholar says play attributed to 1700s playwright is probably Shakespeare

Scholar says he found Shakespeare’s ‘lost’ play

LONDON — A scholar says a play attributed to an 18th century playwright is probably the work of William Shakespeare.

University of Nottingham professor Brean Hammond says he can see the Shakespearean DNA in the play “Double Falsehood.” He’s been studying the work since 2002.

The work was written by Lewis Theobald, who had said he based his play on “Cardenio,” Shakespeare’s lost work. After it debuted on stage in 1727, few believed it was the work of the Bard and considered it a literary hoax.

Hammond said Tuesday he’s quite certain “Double Falsehood” was born out of “Cardenio.”

Arden, the publisher of all Shakespeare’s works, has released an edition of the play, edited by Hammond.