Discusses theater in sixteenth-century England, describing playwrights, plays, the audience, and Queen Elizabeth's sponsorship.

Describes the theaters of Shakespeare's time and indicates the topics of theater at royal courts, how plays were staged, and early acting techniques.

The author tells the story of how Shakespeare conceived and wrote one of his greatest plays. He shows us the sources Shakespeare used and aquaints us with the actors who formed his troupe. We see the economic worries that plagued them, and watch the performance being mounted.