Set in 1590, Fiennes is a rising young star in London theatre by the name of William Shakespeare. At the moment we find him, he is undergoing one of the greatest crises of his career – a writer’s block. Somehow or other, he just can’t seem to get going on his latest play. Enter Lady Viola (Paltrow), a budding young actress at a time when girls were forbidden to be performers. Suddenly the words start to flow from young Will’s quill, and it looks like the play will have a happy ending, at least on stage. Alas, Lady Viola is already committed to Lord Wessex. What’s an ordinary playwright to do?