Series 1 poster

Series 1

(2016)

Overview

It's 1592 and Will Shakespeare is at the beginning of his career. His early work is looked down on by the literary establishment, and he's not taken seriously at home. Follow the Bard's fictional early life and the rather surprising stories about where his best ideas came from.

Cast

David Mitchell as Will Shakespeare
David Mitchell

as Will Shakespeare

Liza Tarbuck as Anne Hathaway
Liza Tarbuck

as Anne Hathaway

Paula Wilcox as Mary Arden
Paula Wilcox

as Mary Arden

Harry Enfield as John Shakespeare
Harry Enfield

as John Shakespeare

Spencer Jones as Kempe
Spencer Jones

as Kempe

Helen Monks as Susannah
Helen Monks

as Susannah

Mark Heap as Sir Robert Greene
Mark Heap

as Sir Robert Greene

Gemma Whelan as Kate
Gemma Whelan

as Kate

Steve Speirs as Burbage
Steve Speirs

as Burbage

Dominic Coleman as Condell
Dominic Coleman

as Condell

Tim Downie as Marlowe
Tim Downie

as Marlowe

Rob Rouse as Bottom
Rob Rouse

as Bottom

Episodes

Star Crossed Lovers poster

Star Crossed Lovers 0.0

May 9, 2016

Episode one sees Will struggle to find inspiration for Romeo while having to deal with an angry actor, a very annoying …

The Play's the Thing poster

The Play's the Thing 0.0

May 16, 2016

Just when Will’s controversial new play is about to be presented to Queen Elizabeth, it goes missing. As the finger of …

The Apparel Proclaims The Man poster

The Apparel Proclaims The Man 0.0

May 23, 2016

Will hopes to move up in the world when he is invited to a high-society party hosted by Lord Southampton, but is unsure…

Love is Not Love poster

Love is Not Love 0.0

May 30, 2016

Will has completed his final sonnet and senses literary immortality just around the corner. But will the fair youth and…

What Bloody Man is That? poster

What Bloody Man is That? 0.0

June 6, 2016

The plague leads Will and his friends to escape to the family home in Stratford. On the way, they meet three witches wh…

The Quality of Mercy poster

The Quality of Mercy 0.0

June 13, 2016

When Will's savings go missing, he is forced to make an unusual bargain with his rival. Kate's frustration with the lac…