A Waste of Shame: The Mystery of Shakespeare and His Sonnets (2005)
In 1609, William Shakespeare published a collection of 154 sonnets, creating what is arguably the greatest lyric sequence in English literature - and at the center of this masterpiece lies a mystery that has endured for centuries. What are the identities of “the young man” and “the dark lady” to whom all but two of the sonnets allude? This moving performance brings to life the gritty reality of Shakespeare’s England, bits of the Bard’s plays and poems, and the consummate poet and dramatist himself as it exposes these personages unseen but so keenly felt in Shakespeare’s sonnets and in his life. Rupert Graves, Tom Sturridge, Indira Varma, Anna Chancellor, and Zoë Wanamaker star. Contains mature themes and explicit language. Some content may be objectionable. Produced by the Open University.
Director:
John McKay
Writer:
William Boyd
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Rupert Graves as William Shakespeare |
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Tom Sturridge as William Herbert |
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Indira Varma as Lucie "The dark lady" |
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Zoë Wanamaker as Countess of Pembroke |
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Anna Chancellor as Anne Hathaway |
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Andrew Tiernan as Ben Jonson |
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Nicky Henson as John Shakespeare |
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Alan Williams as George Wilkin |
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Nicholas Rowe as Richard Burbage |
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Tom Hiddleston as John Hall |
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Tom Mison as Young Blood |
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Christopher Fairbank as Physician |
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Camilla Arfwedson as Lucie's Maid |
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Joanne McCallin as Street Hoare |
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Joseph Rhys Blake as Street Urchin |
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Clem Tibber as Hamnet Shakespeare |
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Ian Hughes as Thomas Thorpe |
| Directing | John McKay | Director |
| Writing | William Boyd | Screenplay |
| Production | Richard Fell | Executive Producer |
| Production | Chrissy Skinns | Executive Producer |
| Production | Sally Woodward Gentle | Executive Producer |
| Sound | Kevin Sargent | Original Music Composer |
| Production | Jill Trevellick | Casting |
| Camera | Tim Palmer | Director of Photography |
| Editing | Anne Sopel | Editor |
| Art | Martyn John | Production Design |
| Art | Nick Blanche | Art Direction |
| Art | Sara Mathers | Set Decoration |
| Costume & Make-Up | Ralph Wheeler-Holes | Costume Design |
| Costume & Make-Up | Lesley Lamont-Fisher | Makeup Artist |
| Costume & Make-Up | Annie Townsend | Makeup Artist |
