: This character is entirely fictional, though she embodies the real historical challenge of women being barred from the Elizabethan stage.
Set in London in 1593, the story follows Will Shakespeare , who is under pressure to finish a comedy titled Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter . His creative slump ends when he meets Viola de Lesseps, a noblewoman who disguises herself as a man named to audition for his play, as women were legally forbidden from acting. Their forbidden affair becomes the emotional foundation for what ultimately becomes the tragedy Romeo and Juliet . Accessing the Full Text shakespeare in love
: Portrayed by Judi Dench (who won an Oscar for the role), her presence at the public theater is a creative liberty, as monarchs typically had plays performed for them at court. : This character is entirely fictional, though she