
Plot
Set against the backdrop of the succession of Queen Elizabeth I, and the Essex Rebellion against her, the story advances the theory that it was in fact Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford who penned Shakespeare's plays.
Trailer
Cast

Jamie Campbell Bower
Young Earl of Oxford

Rhys Ifans
Edward de Vere

David Thewlis
William Cecil

Joely Richardson
Princess Elizabeth Tudor

Vanessa Redgrave
Queen Elizabeth I

Sebastian Armesto
Ben Jonson

Rafe Spall
William Shakespeare

Edward Hogg
Robert Cecil

Xavier Samuel
Earl of Southampton

Sam Reid
Earl of Essex

Paolo De Vita
Francesco

Trystan Gravelle
Christopher Marlowe

Robert Emms
Thomas Dekker

Tony Way
Thomas Nashe

Julian Bleach
Captain Richard Pole

Derek Jacobi
Prologue

Alex Hassell
Spencer

James Garnon
John Heminge

Mark Rylance
Condell

Jasper Britton
Pope

Ned Dennehy
Interrogator

John Keogh
Philip Henslowe

Lloyd Hutchinson
Richard Burbage

Vicky Krieps
Bessie Vavasour

Helen Baxendale
Anne De Vere

Paula Schramm
Bridget De Vere

Amy Kwolek
Young Anne De Vere

Luke Thomas Taylor
Boy Earl of Oxford

Isaiah Michalski
Boy Robert Cecil

Timo Huber
Boy Earl of Southampton

Richard Durden
Archbishop

Shaun Lawton
Footman

Detlef Bothe
John De Vere

James Clyde
King James I

Christian Sengewald
Cecil's Spy Servant

Jean-Loup Fourure
Monsieur Beaulieu

Viktoria Gabrysch
Buxom Lady

Axel Sichrovsky
Essex General

Katrin Pollitt
Lady-in-Waiting

Patricia Grove
Lady-in-Waiting

Laura Lo Zito
Selling Maid

Gode Benedix
Groundling

Nic Romm
Usher

Henry Lloyd-Hughes
Bear Baiter

Patrick Diemling
Oxford's Servant

Patrick Heyn
Oxford's Doctor

Nino Sandow
Stage Manager (New York)

Craig Salisbury
Dwarf / Puck

Rainer Guldener
Quince

Trystan Pütter
Bottom

André Kaczmarczyk
Titania

Jonas Hämmerle
Child Oberon

Mike Maas
Pole's Commander

Christian Leonard
Stage Player: Shakespeare Company

Christian Banzhaf
Stage Player: Shakespeare Company

Victoria Calero
Stage Player: Shakespeare Company

Martin Engler
Stage Player: Shakespeare Company

Alfred Hartung
Stage Player: Shakespeare Company

Oliver Kube
Stage Player: Shakespeare Company

Christian Ludwig
Stage Player: Shakespeare Company

Oliver Rickenbacher
Stage Player: Shakespeare Company

Claudius von Stolzmann
Stage Player: Shakespeare Company

Tjadke Biallowons
Dancer

Dafne-Maria Fielder
Dancer

Alexander Flache
Dancer

Antonia Gerke
Dancer

Sophie Hichert
Dancer

Vera Kreyer
Dancer

Stefanie Lanius
Dancer

Urban Luig
Dancer

Jasmin Mehling
Dancer

Elisabeth Milarch
Dancer

Robert Munzinger
Dancer

Benjamin Plath
Dancer

Erik Studte
Dancer

Johann Hakob Wurster
Dancer

Steffi Sattler
First Lady to King James I (uncredited)