About
Comedy about the life and times of William Shakespeare as he starts to make a name for himself in London, whilst also trying to balance life as a husband and father for his family in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Cast
David Mitchell
as Will Shakespeare
Liza Tarbuck
as Anne Hathaway
Spencer Jones
as Kempe
Helen Monks
as Susannah
Gemma Whelan
as Kate
Steve Speirs
as Burbage
Dominic Coleman
as Condell
Tim Downie
as Marlowe
Rob Rouse
as Bottom
Seasons
Series 1
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.
Series 2
In series two, Shakespeare runs his quill-ink dry with stories of jealous African generals, teenage daughters in desperate need of taming, and a musical play that may (or may not) go by the title of 'Fourth Night'.
Series 3
With a family in Stratford and his theatre company in London, the Bard is burning the candle at both ends in series three. His teenage daughter Sue is as stroppy as ever, best mate Kit Marlowe is in danger, and neighbour Kate is desperate to be an actress – despite the fact it’s still illegal for women to do anything interesting. Meanwhile, Will has been working on his masterpiece, Hamlet. Pity everyone think it’s a comedy. Love potions are sweeping through Stratford and there’s something a little off about Love’s Labour’s Licked.
Episodes
Series 1
Star Crossed Lovers
Episode one sees Will struggle to find inspiration for Romeo while having to deal with an angry actor, a very annoying house-guest and his family’s not terribly helpful script suggestions.
The Play's the Thing
Just when Will’s controversial new play is about to be presented to Queen Elizabeth, it goes missing. As the finger of suspicion points to his best friend Marlowe, can Will come up with a way to recover his stolen masterpiece? Given its politically sensitive content, is he really wise to want it back?
The Apparel Proclaims The Man
Will hopes to move up in the world when he is invited to a high-society party hosted by Lord Southampton, but is unsure what a poorly-educated country boy should wear to one of London's most upmarket events. The playwright's rival Sir Robert Greene offers him some fashion tips, but is it a double bluff, a triple bluff, or something even more fiendish?
Love is Not Love
Will has completed his final sonnet and senses literary immortality just around the corner. But will the fair youth and the dark lady like them as much as he hopes? And is Anne likely to be impressed that her husband’s 154 hot new love poems don’t contain much about her?
What Bloody Man is That?
The plague leads Will and his friends to escape to the family home in Stratford. On the way, they meet three witches who have some surprising predictions to make about Will’s future, leading to a very serious case of house envy.
The Quality of Mercy
When Will's savings go missing, he is forced to make an unusual bargain with his rival. Kate's frustration with the lack of roles for women leads her to make a dramatic intervention.
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