Upstart Crow continues on BBC Two tonight for a third series with a huge array of stars on the cast.
Upstart Crow is a tale based on the life of William Shakespeare, genius, family man and highly-strung baldy-boots as he struggleth to be all at once a father, a husband, a commuter and the greatest literary genius of all time.
Special guest appearances throughout the new series include Kenneth Branagh (Dunkirk) as a mysterious stranger and Lily Cole (St. Trinian’s) as Ephie in the Christmas special which will air in December. The series overbrims with guest appearances from others such as Adrian Edmondson (Bottom), Montserat Lombard (Inside No. IX) Nigel Planer (The Young Ones), Beattie Edmondson (Josh), and Ben Miller (Armstrong and Miller).
Containing turbulent workplace politics behind the scenes at the first ever performance of Julius Caesar; a mischievous puckish sprite with a magic love potion who lurks in the woods around Stratford; prejudice that forestalls Will’s writing of The Merchant of Venice; the world’s first charity fund raising benefit – Inflated Pig’s Bladder Day; a problem with a masked ball and a fake profile; and a Christmas haunting that cometh a little ahead of its time.
In amongst these dramas are all manner of transport chaos, divers sinister plots and family arguments, and a quantity of ale and pie…
The regular players all return as before, with Harry Enfield (Harry & Paul) as Will’s father, John Shakespeare; Paula Wilcox (Mount Pleasant) as Will’s mother, Mary; Liza Tarbuck (Linda Green) as Will’s wife Anne; Helen Monks (Raised By Wolves) as their daughter Susanna; Gemma Whelan (Game Of Thrones) as Kate; Rob Rouse (Grownups) as Bottom; Mark Heap (Friday Night Dinner) as Will’s nemesis Robert Greene; Dominic Coleman (Peaky Blinders) as Condell; Steve Speirs (Big School) as Burbage; Jocelyn Jee Esien (Little Miss Jocelyn) as Lucy; Tim Downie (Toast) as Kit Marlowe and Spencer Jones (Mister Winner) as Kempe.
Series creator Ben Elton, said: “With incredible names like Ben Miller, Lily Cole and Kenneth Branagh all making guest appearances, the third series of Upstart Crow really is going to be a truly star-crossed show.”
Upstart Crow airs tonight on BBC Two, September 5, from 8:30PM.
