Upstart Crow Series 3, Episode 5 - The Most Unkindest Cut Of All

TV sitcom
BBC Two
2016 - 2020
21 episodes (3 series)

Sitcom about the life of jobbing playwright William Shakespeare, struggling to find inspiration in Tudor London. Also features David Mitchell, Rob Rouse, Gemma Whelan, Liza Tarbuck, Harry Enfield and more.

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Series 3, Episode 5 - The Most Unkindest Cut Of All

Upstart Crow. Image shows from L to R: Longinus (Ola Orebiyi), Burbage (Steve Speirs), Toby (Beattie Edmondson). Copyright: BBC

Will has decided to write a play about the life of Julius Caesar. The only problem is how to deal with his assassination.

Further details

Will has decided to write a play about the life of Julius Caesar. The only problem is how to deal with his assassination. After all, Her Majesty is not likely to approve of any play about doing in the head of state, and Robert Greene is particularly keen to label Will a traitor.

Things are not going well in the theatre either. Burbage is hogging the limelight and the other players have decided to get together and depose him. Should Will back the conspirators? Or is there a way he can use his skill with words to stop the plotters in their tracks?

Broadcast details

Date: Wednesday 26^th September 2018
Time: 8:30pm
Channel: BBC Two
Length: 30 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast
David Mitchell	Will Shakespeare
Rob Rouse	Bottom
Gemma Whelan	Kate
Liza Tarbuck	Anne Hathaway
Steve Speirs	Burbage
Tim Downie	Marlowe
Dominic Coleman	Condell
Mark Heap	Sir Robert Greene
Spencer Jones	Kempe
Jocelyn Jee Esien	Lucy

Guest cast
Beattie Edmondson	Toby
Ola Orebiyi	Longinus

Writing team
Ben Elton	Writer

Production team
Richard Boden	Director
Gareth Edwards	Producer
Chris Sussman	Executive Producer
Andy Bennions	Line Producer
Jake Bernard	Editor
Julian Fullalove	Production Designer
Alex Beverly	Production Designer
Catherine Willis	Casting Director
Leah Archer	Costume Designer
Vanessa White	Make-up Designer
Martin Kempton	Lighting Designer
Grant Olding	Composer
Paul Mottram	Composer
Kate Daughton	Commissioning Editor

Press

Upstart Crow: is it too smart for its own good?

This is a comedy about Shakespeare, yes, but unless the viewer has an expansive knowledge of his work, the best bits are wasted.

Sarah Carson, i Newspaper, 27th September 2018

How do you sneak a play about the assassination of an emperor past Elizabeth I, a monarch not known to favour entertainments involving the ending of heads of state? Enjoy what happens when Will decides to write a play about Julius Caesar, prompting dramatist and snake Robert Greene to label him a traitor.

Mike Bradley, The Guardian, 26th September 2018

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