William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest playwright, indeed writer, of all time. In flamboyant detail he brought to life the history and mythology of the world with 38 plays, over 150 exquisite sonnets and a number of fine long poems. Whether it
The Elizabethan golden age is over, replaced by James I's reign of terror, and William Shakespeare has been ordered out of his retirement
to write one last play. He gathers together his devoted troupe and starts to compose but it will be such a searing attack on the monarchy that it can never be performed... Reading Winder is like watching a tightrope walker sling a wire between two far-distant skyscrapers and set off in the middle of a gale. .. an extraordinary performance'