


Set against the backdrop of the succession of Queen Elizabeth I, and the Essex Rebellion against her, the story advances the theory that it was in fact Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford who penned Shakespeare's plays.

Jamie Campbell Bower
Young Earl of Oxford

Rhys Ifans
Edward de Vere

David Thewlis
William Cecil

Joely Richardson
Princess Elizabeth Tudor

Vanessa Redgrave
Queen Elizabeth I

Sebastian Armesto
Ben Jonson

Rafe Spall
William Shakespeare

Edward Hogg
Robert Cecil

Xavier Samuel
Earl of Southampton

Sam Reid
Earl of Essex

Paolo De Vita
Francesco

Trystan Gravelle
Christopher Marlowe

Robert Emms
Thomas Dekker

Tony Way
Thomas Nashe

Julian Bleach
Captain Richard Pole

Derek Jacobi
Prologue

Alex Hassell
Spencer

James Garnon
John Heminge

Mark Rylance
Condell

Jasper Britton
Pope
Roland Emmerich
John Orloff
Released