Discover the real story behind the much loved, 'Shakespeare in Love' motion picture. Follow the young playwright through 16th century London as he forges some of the world's greatest dramatic works. This is the story of young Shakespeare's life on the banks of the Thames against the backdrop of the new Globe Playhouse - those controversial years so vividly brought to life by the Academy Award winning blockbuster.

But there are rumblings in Theatreland of a 'young upstart' who has stolen ideas from the established masters. The London life and times of the world's greatest dramatist builds into a dramatic and romantic account of the bard's 'lost years'. Those who knew him tell his story as never before, bringing young William to life in the context of his turbulent times - from the plagues that closed the playhouses to the mysterious death of Christopher Marlowe - finally revealing the real Shakespeare and the true identity of his forbidden love; the 'Dark Lady' of the world famous sonnets.