Virgin Media has announced “wild, rowdy and seductive drama” Will as its latest exclusive drama acquisition.
The series stars a host of established and upcoming British talent, charting the lost years of a young William Shakespeare as he finds his feet and fortune in the ‘punk-rock’ lifestyle of Elizabethan London.
Will is described as “a clever, crude and highly entertaining series” and was created by Craig Pearce, who with Baz Luhrmann, has been responsible for writing several anachronistic adaptations of classic tales in a bold, contemporary style.
Most notably The Great Gatsby (2013), Romeo + Juliet (1996) and Moulin Rouge! (2001).
The new series consists of 10 one-hour long episodes, with the first four episodes launching on Virgin TV on demand from Thursday 28 December, and a new episode released every week thereafter.
A riot of colour, Will tells the story of a young man pursuing his dream of changing the world with his words; a chance encounter at the theatre sets the trajectory for the greatest actor-writer partnership the world has ever seen.
Will successfully sells one of his plays to James Burbage’s theatre and in doing so befriends the company and starts up a relationship with Burbage’s daughter, Alice.
Within the context of London’s electric punk-rock theatre scene, the plot unfolds to reveal Will’s grapple with his desire to remain true to his Catholicism in a city hostile to these religious beliefs.
The juxtaposition between the protagonist’s focused yet tortured brilliance and his reckless lustful pursuits delivers a dynamic, highly addictive viewing experience by any measure.
David Bouchier, Chief Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media, said: “We’re very pleased to have as our ninth Exclusive “Will”, a fun and irreverent portrayal of Will Shakespeare as a young man.
“With Craig Pearce (Moulin Rouge, Strictly Ballroom, Romeo & Juliette) leading a fantastic creative team, our customers can enjoy a wild historical drama with plenty of flair that will hook them from the start and make for great viewing after Christmas.”
