The year is 1580, and William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), a Latin teacher in the small English village of Stratford-upon-Avon, falls in love with Agnes (Jessie Buckley). In the village, whispers increasingly circulate that she is not a healer at all, but a witch. But William doesn't care. The two throw themselves headlong into their life together and quickly have three children. First, Susanna (Bodhi Rae Breathnach) is born, followed shortly by the twins Judith (Olivia Lynes) and Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe). But for William, at least, family life isn't the end of his dreams. He longs to leave teaching behind and work as a playwright. However, this proves difficult in the countryside. So, encouraged by Agnes, he goes to London. At first, the family is only separated geographically, but then the plague sweeps through the country, killing Hamnet at just eleven years old. This motivates William to write a play in honor of his son... Based on the novel of the same name by Maggie O'Farrell.
