Where is airing: BBC Two
For what age: 11+
How many episodes in 3 season: 6 episodes
Will is just finishing writing A Midsummer Night's Dream, a tale of love potions, enchantment and a wood full of fairies. He's very pleased with how realistic it is, as he based it on his own experience. But Burbage and the other actors tell him it lacks a little comedy, like say a character with a funny name or a big visual joke. Meanwhile, back in Will's lodgings, where on earth is his servant Bottom going to put that donkey head? Kate has problems of her own, because Lord Egeus - a rather old but very wealthy gentleman - has taken a shine to her, and Robert Greene is determined to be the matchmaker. Along the way we learn a little more about how Will and Anne found love, and how Will managed to get hold of a love potion.
Will Shakespeare has been working on his masterpiece. His friends tell him it's his greatest comedy yet, but Will insists that Hamlet isn't actually meant to be funny.
London is full of anti-immigrant rioting. Will looks forward to an age when such sentiments are long-gone, but in the meantime he and the players plan to do their bit to help those worse off than themselves with a fund-raising charity gala night. "Inflated Pig's Bladder Day" is a triumph.
When Kate stands in for Sue at the masked ball she accidentally sets off a chain of events that leaves Sue humiliated by the other local teenagers and Will needs to come up with a ruse to turn the tables on the bullies. Meanwhile in all the confusion Hamnet has gone missing.
Will has decided to write a play about the life of Julius Caesar. The only problem is how to deal with his assassination. After all, Her Majesty is not likely to approve of any play about doing in the head of state, and Robert Greene is particularly keen to label Will a traitor.
The day of Will's son Hamnet's confirmation is approaching and Anne has made sure it's been in Will's diary for months. The only problem is this also turns out to be the night of the first ever London Theatre Awards, and, what with Will being the greatest writer of all time, and what with all the other theatre companies in London being closed all year because of the plague, Will reckons he may be in with a chance of a prize. And there's another dilemma: if Will does go the London Theatre Awards, who is going to be his plus one? He's heard that his favourite dark lady, Emilia Laier, may be free that evening... But as Will wrestles with the temptation of the London theatre there is a far bigger threat to his family's happiness lurking in the wings.
