A Waste of Shame: The Mystery of Shakespeare and His Sonnets (2005)

Plot Summary

In 1609, William Shakespeare published a collection of 154 sonnets, creating what is arguably the greatest lyric sequence in English literature - and at the center of this masterpiece lies a mystery that has endured for centuries. What are the identities of “the young man” and “the dark lady” to whom all but two of the sonnets allude? This moving performance brings to life the gritty reality of Shakespeare’s England, bits of the Bard’s plays and poems, and the consummate poet and dramatist himself as it exposes these personages unseen but so keenly felt in Shakespeare’s sonnets and in his life. Rupert Graves, Tom Sturridge, Indira Varma, Anna Chancellor, and Zoë Wanamaker star. Contains mature themes and explicit language. Some content may be objectionable. Produced by the Open University.

Full Cast & Characters

Rupert Graves

William Shakespeare

Tom Sturridge

William Herbert

Indira Varma

Lucie "The dark lady"

Zoë Wanamaker

Countess of Pembroke

Anna Chancellor

Anne Hathaway

Andrew Tiernan

Ben Jonson

Nicky Henson

John Shakespeare

Alan Williams

George Wilkin

Nicholas Rowe

Richard Burbage

Tom Hiddleston

John Hall

Tom Mison

Young Blood

Christopher Fairbank

Physician

Director & Crew

Official Trailer

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