Shakespeare in Love (1998)

A clever historical drama about a young and virile William Shakespeare.

A woman of noble parentage (Viola de Lesseps played by Gwyneth Paltrow) is anxious to perform on the sixteenth century London stage, but this was contrary to public decency laws at the time, so she pretends to be a boy. She gets into the theatre at rehearsal time, dressed as a boy, and takes the opportunity to perform, thinking the theatre is empty, although Shakespeare overhears her.

She meets Shakespeare and in the fullness of time they fall in love, and the plot thickens.

Shakespeare himself dresses as her nurse, to be with her at the court of Queen Elizabeth. The beard needs to be concealed.

Of course all the female parts in the plays are played by men, and Viola is pretending to be a boy. There are therefore a few scenes of her playing a man kissing a man who is playing a woman.

All good fun; excellent film, highly recommended.

HF January 2002

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