Shakespeare in Love

John Madden, 1998 (122 mins, Cert. 15)

Will Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) has lost his muse and the prospects for his latest commission "Romeo & Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter" look troubled. Enter Viola Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow) - can she win his heart and the lead role?
(Playhouse publicity)

A hugely enjoyable romp! A roller-coaster ride through the trials and tribulations of a working poet in Elizabethan England. The pace never slackens as Viola infiltrates Shakespeare's heart and his theatre. On the way we are treated to a wonderful evocation of life behind the scenes in the playhouse, large slabs of Romeo & Juliet (delivered with great panache), and Judi Dench's delightfully ascerbic Queen Elizabeth. Enormously witty, alusive, and playful, this is a triumph for all concerned!
(Steve Fagg)

Seen: Tuesday, 18th May, 1999 (Harlow Playhouse)