William Shakespeare: His Life & Times

What really happened during Shakespeare's "dark years" (1585-1592), or for that matter, most of his professional life in London? Well, we know he churned out a few trifles for the stage (King Lear, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, etc.), was less than blissfully wed to Anne Hathaway (left in Stratford-upon-Avon) and returned to his home sometime after 1602 or so. Scores of theories and reams of speculation abound concerning the Bard, including the suggestion that he was, in fact, Roger Bacon. Which is pretty ludicrous, since anyone watching this British miniseries can plainly see that Will Shakespeare is Tim Curry. Taking more than a little literary license (and that's fine, given that the scripter is John Mortimer--one of the best teleplay writers around on either side of the big pond), William Shakespeare: His Life & Times opens in London in 1590 with Will landing the prestigious role of a cock who crows once in a play by Christopher Marlowe (Ian McShane). After insulting the future greatest writer of all time (Marlowe to Shakespeare: "you're a one-liner"), Marlowe hires young Will to ghost write, so he can go play with the boys (rather literally). The opening volume closes with--appropriately enough--a death: poor Kit Marlowe's; leaving the stage door wide open for William Shakespeare to enter and assume the mantle of England's greatest living playwright. I'll say no more, but this: when it comes to entertaining literary "what if's?", this (tele)play's the thing. Enthusiastically recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Pitman)