"_" " I'm happy for the first time in my life, and it is because of thee." "Your wife's downstairs." " Pa!" " Will's brought his family." "I met the scribe at the Theatre." "Pretty, blonde." "She's real, and I've vanished." "You are more real to me than life itself." "I will never lie with Keenan because I don't love him." "We must go, now!" "Seize him!" " I will answer any question." " The truth!" "Do you have any idea what my life is like in Stratford?" " Come home." " You must believe in me." "I cannot believe in a dream." " What have you written recently, Kit?" " I'm still in the research phase." "No!" "Ahh!" " Wait!" " I thought you wanted to die." "Bring it on." " So you've come at last." " Sorry, my King." "I'll marry Keenan, and you will have Anne, and together, we will bear it out." "I must write." "I must stay in London." "I want us to be a family." "_" "Will, I could at least start looking for a larger room." "Until I finish this new play, there can be no more talk of moving." "Hamnet." "Come." "When do you think you will be done?" "When it is done." "Papa!" "Papa!" "Papa, can I have one?" "Please?" "Another day, Peaseblossom." "Pa!" "Come look!" "There's a lady singing to a snake!" "Just wait." "We need to make a decision about moving soon." "Catholics have been thrown into unsavory and dark dungeons..." "And brought so near starving that some for famine have licked the very moisture off the walls." " For you." " Want one?" "Some have been so far consumed that they were hardly recovered to life." "What unsufferable agonies we have been..." "What is this blasphemy?" "!" "It's Robert." "It is not possible to express..." "These are your cousin's words?" " Sit down, you pigs!" " Traitors!" "Dogs!" " Rejoice in the true faith!" " Bloody Catholics!" "No rest shall be found, no harbor reached, nor crown expected before the combat is finished." "We must go." "Come on." "Where's Hamnet?" "Hamnet!" " Wait here." "I'll find him." " Hamnet!" "Come here, darling." "Hamnet?" " Have you seen my boy, Hamnet?" " No." "Hamnet!" "Let them draw us upon hurdles." "Unfoul us..." " Hamnet!" " Hamnet!" "Hamnet!" "Hamnet!" " such chariots do we triumph!" " Hamnet!" "Hamnet!" "Hamnet!" "Uhh!" "Hamnet!" "Papa!" "Hamnet!" "such accomplished garments..." "Uhh!" " Uhh!" " Papa!" "Papa!" "Come!" "This way!" "Let's kill all the lawyers!" "And the fountain shall spill with wine!" "It appears that today, our stage imitates life." "I was there as it broke." "Mr. Cotton?" "Aye." "There shall be no money!" "Anne and the children..." "I couldn't find Hamnet." "He's safe?" "Yes." "They're all fine." "How goes Keenan?" "Good." "Mother and Father adore him, and I'm held up as the perfect example of daughter-dom." "Congratulations." "Thank you." "Just professional, nothing personal." "We're nothing if not professional." "Love is madness." ""Love is madness." That's good." "And I am driven to bedlam by that shining goddess before us." "Lord Hunsdon's new mistress, brother?" "Thou art truly mad." "I hear her mother was impoverished Moroccan royalty, and her father a Venetian musician." "And she fancies herself a poetess." "You must write me a sonnet to bedazzle her with." "I'm too busy trying to write your next role." "Ah, the sequel." "How goes it?" "I've got the title." ""Henry VI, Part 2:" "Return of the Roses."" "That is a shithouse title." "Methinks if thou wishes to feed thy family, you'll accept my commission..." "A shilling for a goddess-wooing sonnet." "Me their lord!" " 5." " 2." "2 shillings, sixpence." "Done." "The pear of Anguish." "It blossoms like a flower." "Master Neemes, in a man's mouth it tears apart his jaw." "But that would make it rather difficult for you to speak, hmm?" "I will speak only of the Holy Spirit..." "The communion of the saints, the resurrection of..." "But there is another much darker, much warmer, much more secret place for my pear to bloom," "London streets are stained with blood." "Speak plainly." "How does Southwell's book incite the Catholic scum?" "When the Queen reads" " Father Southwell's entreaty to her..." " To her?" "Her Majesty?" "Elizabeth?" "The traitor dares to address his honeyed lies to my queen?" "The problem with the sequel is that Queen Margaret's emotional journey doesn't make sense without the prior history." "Nonetheless, we need something new from you soon." "Part 1 has run eight times already this month." "I know." "Why must you write the plays in order?" "Why can't you write the story that comes before Part 1?" "Write the plays out of order?" "Has that ever been done before?" "There had never been a playhouse in London before my father made it so." "Write the story that precedes "Henry VI."" "Not the sequel, but the..." "Prequel?" "Prequel." "You're a genius." "Wasp?" "How are you, my King?" "Better now I see you by my side." "Is it night yet?" "Just barely." "Was there peace enough for you to work today?" "Yes." "I've written copious amounts." "Nothing at all?" "It's been too long, Wasp." "The world needs your brilliance, and you need to shine or you'll gutter like a flame without air." "How can I shine when I have nothing inside me but darkness?" "I pray I am not its cause." "No." "Never." "You are my muse." "Will you have another?" "Paulina!" "Another round." "Coming up, Will." "Anne." "What are you doing here?" "I thought I should finally properly meet your friends." "Gentlemen, some of you may remember my wife," "Anne Shakespeare." " Ah." " Come on." "It's nice to have a lovely new face at the table." "You get sick of these ugly mugs after a while." "Your husband's star is on the rise, Mistress Shakespeare." "You must be very proud." "Yes." "Although we're all finding it a little difficult to settle into London life." "Oh." "Did anyone see the price of fish this week?" ""The Price of Fish"?" "Is that the new one at The Rose?" "How did you find our performance of "Henry VI"?" "I, ah, actually, I haven't seen it." "But..." "But I will." "Very soon." "Perhaps we should go." "Good God." "And who is this fine specimen of woman?" "Master Kemp, this is my wife." "Mistress Anne Shakespeare, of the Warwickshire Hathaways." "Young Will truly Hath-a-way with words." "Yet you should be free to Hath-your-way with me." "Master Phillips?" "Let us praise God for this merry year," " where flesh is cheap and women dear..." " Oh!" "And lusty lads roam there and here." "So merrily, heigh ho!" "Merrily, heigh ho!" " I am slain by a fair cruel maid..." " Heigh!" "With a horned owl to spend her days, but comes at night to shine my blade." " Heigh ho!" " Heigh ho!" "Merrily, heigh ho!" "Merrily, heigh ho!" "Even he with golden treasure will not outdo my lady's pleasure... for I'm an inch of fortune better!" "Merrily, heigh ho!" "So get up there from off your arse and dance until your troubles pass!" "♪ Get up offa that thing" "♪ And dance till you feel better ♪" "♪ Get up offa that thing ♪" "♪ And dance till you, sing it now!" "♪" "♪ Get up offa that thing ♪" "♪ And shake till you feel better ♪" "♪ Get up offa that thing ♪" "♪ And shake it, sing it now!" "♪" "Huh!" "Whoo!" "Get up now!" "Huh!" " Whoo!" " So good!" "I can't remember the last time I had so much fun." "Except maybe the revels on St. Crispin's Day." "Aye." "We flattened half that field." "I know." "My Master craves a word." "Will, what is this matter?" "It's all right." "I need to speak with someone." "About a play." "Go inside." "A play?" "At this hour?" "Go inside, Anne." "Now." "I've heard that since last we met, your family has arrived in London." "Your wife Anne, your daughters Susanne and Judith... and the little boy." "What's his name?" "Don't tell me." "Hamnet." "They're only here a short while." "My family was visiting recently." "Domestic life is pleasant, of course, but men with meaningful work haven't the luxury of such distractions." "How may I be of service, Sir?" "I have come up with an idea for our play... a work to discredit the traitor Robert Southwell." "He wants to portray you as a fraud, a hypocrite, a sodomite." "And he would have it performed for the Queen at court to defame you in her eyes." "He's demanded that I write it." "But you will refuse." "He's threatened the lives of my children, Robert." "I must write his play." " Have you no shame?" " I have no choice." "I'm protecting my family." "Oh, yes." "Of course." "Your family." "How are things with Alice?" "He's given me a week." "If you can deliver your manuscript to the Queen before the play is finished, then Topcliffe's plan will be all for naught." "It's not enough time." " I'm sorry." " Even as you betray me," "I will not give up on you because I know that you are merely a lamb strayed from the flock." "Goodbye, Robert." "Give Anne my best." "It's very fine." "Can I wear it to steal a purse tonight?" "No, pet." "We still need to stitch it." "What are you doing here?" "Sis, look what Madame Doll got me." "Do you like it?" "Yeah." "It's real nice." "She said I could keep whatever I stole in it." "Just give her a tenth portion each time." "Now off with this." "I want you to stay here tonight while I have it finished." "You have the night off, pet." "Look after Pres." "And then tomorrow, we'll be in business." "Move out." "Henry, so glad you could stop by." "I have new renderings." "Read the contract, Burbage." "It's your responsibility to obtain the building permits." "Lord Hunsdon assures me we will have them by the week's end." "You told me that two months ago." "Well, just today, he promised it would be done." "I am at the mercy of is calendar." "If we don't have the permissions by Friday, I'll pull my funds." "No." "No, no, no, you can't do that." "Cross me, Burbage, and you will spend the rest of your days in debtors' prison." "I told you to stay away." "But, sis, I'm gonna steal lots of fat purses off all those rich spiders." "You idiot!" "Doll isn't giving you the dress to go out on the rob." "She wants to sell your arse in it." "But..." "Where is he?" "Go on, get out, shithead!" "Bugger off and don't come back!" "Bugger off!" "Cakes and ale for my pretty boy." "Where is he?" "So I was thinking, eh, I could work more." "Take on more regulars." "Then you wouldn't need my brother." "Where's he gone?" "Did you tell him?" "Please, Doll." "I sell my arse so he don't have to." "Get him back here by noon tomorrow, or I will cut your throat, girl." "Hmm." "Robert Southwell... poet, priest... pervert, and pedophile." "What are you doing here?" "Well, it's the only place I could be alone to write." "Why are you here?" "It's late." "I couldn't sleep." "Are you working on the prequel?" "Yes." "Just getting started." "Good." "I've been making some notes." " I think I've got a name." " Really?" ""Henry VI, Part 1:" "Rise of the Dauphin Menace."" "I love it." "When I was reading the histories," "I discovered that the Dauphin, Charles VII, joined forces with Joan of Arc." "I am going to Hell." "Nonsense." "Hell is a children's story to frighten us into being ashamed of who we are." "Arrogant youth." "You are very beautiful and brilliant, but you are not invincible." "God is real." "Hell is real." "And you cannot conquer death with knowledge, Wasp." "Oh!" "How can I help you?" "Let me see it." "Mm." "Ah." "You were an impossible model but an exquisite youth." "Before you, no one ever encouraged me to be Marlowe." "You liberated me from a colorless life." "If it weren't for you, I would not be who I am." "And that is why I fear for you." "I addicted you to Marlowe." "She is beautiful, and therefore to be..." "Wooed." "Yes." "Good." "She's a woman and therefore... to be... to be..." "Won." "Yes." "We cannot." "Yes, we can." "Once more, just once." "When, in disgrace." "With fortune and men's eyes," "I all alone beweep my outcast state and trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries and look upon myself and curse my fate, wishing me like to one more rich in hope, featured like him, like him with friends possessed," "desiring this man's art and that man's scope with what I most enjoy contented least." "Yet in these thoughts, myself almost despising, haply I think on thee, and then my state, like to the lark at break of day arising from sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate." "For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings for then I scorn to change my state with kings." ""such wealth brings that then I scorn to change my state with kings."" "Huzzah!" "Truly magnificent." "Bravissimo." "Shall we... m'lady?" "Please be seated, Master Burbage." "Mmm." "Yes." "Yes, yes, yes." ""I all alone beweep my outcast state and trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries."" "If you don't mind my asking, Master Burbage, why is it you feel such melancholy?" "Ah!" "Well..." "That bit was just for dramatic effect." "Shall we both get bootless?" ""Like to the lark at break of day arising from sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate."" "Why this choice of imagining yourself a lark?" "Well, who doesn't like to have a good lark now and again?" "If I am to be "heaven,"" "then where, pray tell, would be "heaven's gates"?" "This one I know." "Let me show you, m'lady." "You didn't write this, did you?" "Yes!" "Well, not all of it." "Some of the words may have been penned by another, but the feeling is all mine own." "Which other?" "A scribe." "No one special." "Pray, Master Burbage, commend me to your scribe." "I wish to meet him." "Lord Hunsdon, it'll be the first indoor theatre in London." "A more exclusive clientele." "We'll be able to play after the sun goes down." "There'll be branches of candles lowered from the ceiling to adjust the lighting." "V-Very modern..." "It's the location that's problematic." "This is not Shoreditch." "M'Lord, this will be no venue for penny-paying groundlings." "No, no, no." "No." "Blackfriars would cater to only the very finest sort, like yourself." "I'm hesitant to bring this forth to the Council." "The time is not right." "Blackfriars could bear your name." "Imagine..." "The Lord Hunsdon Theatre." "A luxuriously appointed Lord's Room." "A sanctuary to entertain your beautiful and, uh, and... and special and young... guests." "Please, Your Lordship, I..." "I'll do whatever you wish." "I'll..." "Please." "I'm..." "I'm running out of time." "I will try." "I'm sorry, Anne." "There's no pleasure in me tonight." "I'm worried for you, Will." "For us." " There's no need to worry." " Let me speak." "I see you working so hard." "But... what if your dreams aren't enough?" "How many theatre poets, however talented, can support a family?" "Even if you don't wish to make gloves, there must be something, a life more secure than the playhouse." "Just believe in me, Anne." "Success may not come in a fortnight, but all things worth doing take time and struggle." "And yet you do not talk of your struggles with me." "I do not wish to burden you." "I am here to listen and ease your burdens, as a wife... should, if you would share with me." "I..." "I..." "I'm sorry, Anne, but I cannot." "You cannot or you will not?" "You never tell me what's inside you." "I cannot speak of what's inside me." "That is why I write." "But I can't read, Will." "I am a dead thing." "What did you say?" "Why are you here?" "I didn't want you to be alone." "All of us die alone." "Go to and examine your life, Wasp." "It's too late for me." "Repent yet, and God may pity thee." "I have nothing to repent, and neither do you." "We are both us damned." "Peace, my King." "If there is a God, he is just." "And if there is a heaven, you will go there." "The only heaven I will know is the time I've spent on Earth with you." "I sold my soul for your love, and I would not change it for an eternity of redemption." "Look to your life, Wasp, while you still can." "Ideally, every barrel should have half a pound of hops." "But with last season's excessive rain, the crops did not thrive." "Oh!" "Oh!" "I see." "So that is why the price of beer has exceeded the price of ale." " Mm." " Ah!" "You know, Keenan, we all must make hay while the sun shines." "Alice, I was telling Keenan earlier about your talent for numbers." "It is a fine benefit for a businessman to have such a clever wife." " I'll drink to that." " Mm-hmm." " Yes, indeed." " Alice..." "Perhaps..." "I could have a moment to speak with Alice in private?" "Of course." "You must have wedding plans to discuss." "Alice..." "Did you like the gift I gave you?" " Gift?" " The book." "O-Of poetry." "Oh, yes." "Yes, I..." "liked it very much." "You didn't even open it, did you?" "Why are you marrying me, Alice?" "For my money alone?" "No." "No, I..." "I mean, my... my parents wish that I be married to a man who is good and kind and trustworthy." "And you are all those things, Keenan." "Perhaps." "But it is not your parents" "I wish to marry." "I'm sorry." "Where's Keenan?" "What's happening, Alice?" "Master Cooper had a change of heart." "He called off the marriage." "What?" "No." "No, no, no, no, no, no, no." "This... this can't be." "I can fix this!" "Keenan!" "He felt that it wasn't a good match." "You foolish girl!" "You ruined yourself!" "All for nothing." "I want my money back." "Cannons in an hour!" "A rider who fails to mount should not blame the horse." "Why did you write such a complicated one?" "I should've done it myself." "Excellent idea." "At least it would've been brief." ""Here stands Big Dick Burbage." ""Let's dispense with all the verbage." ""Please release me from this limbo, on your back and legs akimbo."" "Ha ha." "She wants to meet you." "I told her you were married." "Beside which, I have a strong feeling she's a disciple of Lesbos." "Where is he... you mewling jilt?" "!" "I don't know!" "I don't know!" "Lookit." "Jack Sprat's turned up." "Didn't you make some worry, runnin' off like that." "Where's my dress?" "Oft have I heard that grief softens the mind, and makes it fearful and degenerate." "Will." "Meet me in the costume room." "We need to talk." "But who can cease to weep and look on this?" "Here may his head lie on my throbbing breast." "But where's the body that I should embrace?" "What answer makes your grace..." "You are but a curse to us!" "You need to break with Alice immediately." "Good Mistress Burbage, we are not..." "Did you know that had broken her engagement with Keenan Cooper?" "And I myself, rather than bloody war..." "No." "I did not." "He would have made a respectable husband." "Because of you, she will be nothing but a player's whore." "I love Alice." "Men follow the course of their cock sets and call it love." "But she will have nothing." "No legitimate children, no status, no respect, no family." "If you loved her, you'd see that you are destroying her." "Expectation is the root of all heartache, Master Shakespeare." "I do not wish my daughter to suffer... but you must be cruel to be kind." "If you love her, let her go." "To relent that were unworthy to behold the same?" "How now, madam!" "My soul and body on the action both!" "A dreadful lay!" "Address thee instantly!" "Uhh!" "La fin couronne les oeuvres." "Uhh!" "This war hath given thee peace, for thou art still." "Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will!" "Now, poppet, you just do exactly as the kind gentleman says." "Wait, Pres!" "No time for jawing." "He needs a little rouge." "Please?" "Well, make it snappy." "You don't need to do this, Pres." "Leave now and never come back." "I'll take care of Doll." "No, sis." "I can do it, same as you." "You're a good man, Pres." "Drink as much of this as you can." "Hurry up." "One more minute." "What's your happiest memory?" "I don't know." "You, Ma, us... when I was little." "Try to think of that." "It helps." "Now." "All right." "You're beautiful." "What is of such concern?" "Keenan Cooper called off our engagement." "I will not be married." "Wait." "What?" "My parents are furious with me." "I feel such relief." "Relief?" " You stupid little girl." " Will." "You never think before you act!" "It's no wonder he broke with you." "I only wished to be married so that we could be true equals and have the means to run this theatre together." "I implored you to consider the future, but you don't listen." "Who will have you now?" "It was you who told me I should have everything." "You cannot have me." "Indulge this fantasy no longer." "I'm not leaving my wife." "I never wished you to leave your family." "Then why did you seduce me, you slut?" "What are you?" "My wife smelt you upon me." "One last time, was it?" "Have you no shame?" "No feeling?" "No kindness?" "You disgust me." "Go." "Now." "It's over." "Find another player and be his whore." "Shakespeare!" "Shakespeare!" "Shakespeare!" "Shakespeare!" "Shakespeare!" "Shakespeare!" "Shakespeare!" "Take thy bow, young Shakespeare." "The public wants a piece of thee!" "Now..." "Just wait you here, little miss." "Have you been a good girl?" "No." "No?" "Oh, yes." "What are you hiding, hmm?" "I'll have all your secrets out of you... little girl." "Do you know what happens to bad children who hide things?" "They... get... punished." "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Move out of the way!" " What have you done?" "!" " Please, sis, we gotta go now!" "Come on!" "They'll kill us both!" "Aah!" "Down the street." "Come on!" "Ohh!" "Come on, just a little further." "We'll fix you up." "Keep going, Pres." "Leave me." "Come on." "Get up, sis." "I can't." "You can." "Nah, Pres, I can't." "But I ain't tired, just happy... you didn't have to... you didn't have to..." "You're my happiest memory." "It's you." "Now piss off." "No." "No, no." "Check down there." "Now sit." "Careful." "What's happening?" "We're going home." "No, Anne..." "Please stay." "It's over with Alice, I swear it." "It's not about the girl." "Your play... was amazing." "I can see now that I will always come second to the theatre." "You do belong here in London with your work." "And I must live my own life." "I'll make a life for us here." "No." "I leave you free to succeed." "You will support your family in Stratford." "Send money home, help your father's business." "Also, Susanne and Judith must have their education." "I will not allow them to end up like their mother." "Anne..." "You will always be my husband and father to our children." "But this is your world, not mine." "I leave you free to be what it is you wish to be." " Bye, Pa." " Goodbye." "Goodbye, my darlings." "I'll see you all very soon." "You need to be brave, just like the hero in your story." "You need to protect your mother and your sisters." "Will you, sweet prince?" "Yes, Pa." "Don't forget me, Anne." "Who knows what a glover's son from Stratford and his family may become?" "We shall see." "My cousin is a very selfish young man." "Hey, hey." "Spare him, Satan!" "My, God." "No." "No!" "No, let him live." "Let him breathe." "Another day, another hour." "Oh, my King." "My King." "We're ruined." "I'm so ashamed." "Aah!" "No!" "No!"