Will

You took a virtuous girl and you made her a whore.

Speak not to me of Alice.

Go sweat with your whore, playwright.

How does Southwell's book...

incite the Catholic scum?

If we don't have the permissions by Friday, I'll pull my funds,

and you will spend the rest of your days in debtors' prison.

We're ruined.

Doll: You just do exactly as the kind gentleman says.

Aah!

We've gotta go now!

No.

You need to break with Alice immediately.

I love Alice. You must be cruel to be kind.

You stupid little girl. Will.

I'm not leaving my wife. I never wished you to leave your family.

Then why did you seduce me, you slut?

Find another player and be his whore.

Anne: Your play... was amazing.

You do belong here in London.

I leave you free to be what it is you wish to be.

Love is a smoke

raised with the fume of sighs.

Being purged,

a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes.

Being vexed,

a sea

nourished with loving tears.

What is it else?

A madness most discreet.

A choking gall and...

What business have I with love?

Thy writing is most lamentable, Willie boy.

I am a fool and a coward.

I am so base, so vile,

so villainous, and do such...

damage...

to my sweet girl, my...

one true love.

And so I am damned.

Alice.

The Theatre... you must go now.

Ellen: Take those to the stage!

Here! Take this!

Let me. Prithee catch thy breath.

Let it burn! Let it burn! Let it burn!

Kemp: Peace, Jimmy.

All those years of blood, sweat, and tears, for nought!

For nought! It's over!

It's over!

Let it burn.

Come on. Chin up, lads.

We battled that fiery bitch and we won.

Still, nobody's gonna pay for a play with no costumes.

They'll riot. Seen it before.

Ellen: For heaven's sake!

We're closing for good.

What?

We owe three months back rent.

Without payment by week's end,

the landlord will repossess The Theatre,

and I'm to Ludgate.

P-prison?

I dreamt of building a theatre

that would write us into history.

The deal fell through.

Our profits, our... our savings...

it's all gone.

Hunsdon?

Surely it would be in his interest to keep us afloat.

That bridge has been burnt.

How appropriate.

Peace, Alice.

Peace?

What a meaningless word.

This isn't the end.

I promise you,

I will find a way to save the theatre.

Alice?

No!

Morning...

'tis for mourning.

Goodbye...

my sage, sturdy King.

If your love

cost me my soul...

then here's to damnation, darling.

I shall see thee in hell.

I heard about the fire.

We're ruined.

My father deceived us all.

It seems my idols turn ashen by the hour.

If you ever need to talk,

I'm a very good listener.

Some would say...

it is my profession.

Come visit us.

You will find community, purpose, love.

Follow another false prophet into the wilderness?

I'm no prophet,

merely one who strives to help those in need.

Not as crowd-pleasing as our mutual friend,

but this might bring you some comfort.

No battles?

Or girls dressed as boys?

No,

but its subject is Mary Magdalene, and...

she is... quite an adventurous young woman.

Sir Francis Walsingham, the Queen's business.

Mnh. You requite a physician. You smell of rot.

I am sturdy.

Our most gracious Majesty, has she granted my audience?

Upon hearing of thy injury

at the hand of a Catholic traitor,

the Queen sent me with commendations

for thy bravery and service.

- I must see her. - In good time.

But first, she must call upon the, uh,

the fervor she so greatly admires.

Anything.

It's imperative you find Southwell's manuscript.

I will not rest until I have delivered it

into her hands personally.

Do not let her down, Richard.

Will: When, in disgrace with fortunes and men's eyes,

I all alone beweep my outcast state,

and trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,

and look upon myself and curse my fate,

wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

featured like him,

like him with friends possessed,

desiring this man's art and that man's scope,

with what I most enjoy contented least,

yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

haply I think on thee, and then my state,

like to the lark at break of day

arising from sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate,

for thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings

that then I scorn to change my state with kings.

"Such wealth brings..."

I'm at my wit's end, Emilia.

That countrywoman of yours, Isabetta,

enchants me as a mongoose enchants a snake.

She being a mongoose and you a snake?

I am no poet, I grant you, but I am rich.

Surely that counts for something?

But if you wish to marry her, you must also woo her.

I've tried. Lord knows I've tried.

M'lady, you have a visitor, most insistent...

William Shakespeare.

Isn't he that new playwright?

Oh. You're not straying, Emilia?

Of course not.

Show Master Shakespeare in.

But what of Isabetta?

She is in a new country, starting a new life.

Give her time.

Time is a young man's luxury.

Pardon.

Ah, the man who pens beautiful poetry

to be recited by a jackass.

'Twas a fool's errand for quick coin.

No harm was meant. None taken.

We have not been formally introduced.

Emilia Bassano.

William Shakespeare.

And this is Lord Fortescue.

Ah. My Lord.

To what do I owe the pleasure?

Apologies, but time is of the essence.

You are a lover of theatre,

and I need your help to save The Theatre.

You heard of the fire?

A calamity. But I do not follow.

I beg that which penniless players lack.

Money?

Thou art sorely misguided.

None of this is mine.

It belongs to Lord Hunsdon, just as I do.

I am sorry.

Oh.

I see.

Lord Fortescue, on the other hand, is disgustingly rich.

Filthy.

And he is in need of a poet.

My Lord, what... What is your problem?

Oh, love. Hmm.

Well...

the course of true love never did run smooth.

That's really rather good.

I may have a commission for you.

Didn't know where you had disappeared to.

Father won't come down from his office.

He's sitting there, one minute raging drunk,

and the next, crying like a baby.

It's hard to see him like that.

What are we gonna do?

You should've married that beer fellow.

He seemed like a good man.

And shall I be at his mercy,