What News on the Rialto?

Description

‘I must know what the king of Spain is going to do before he knows it himself. And that, Shakespeare, is why you are going to Italy.’ With these words, Sir Francis Walsingham despatches a young and unknown poet on a journey that will take him to Venice and beyond, in search of the secrets of the Spanish Armada. By the time he returns home, the sights and sounds of Italy will have left a lasting impression on the man who is destined to become England’s greatest playwright.The idea that Shakespeare might have travelled beyond English shores is an intriguing one, with Italy as the prime suspect. After all, almost a third of his plays are set in that country, and many of them paint a tantalisingly accurate picture of Italian life and customs. But how and why would he have gone there? And what adventures might he have had that later found their way into his plays? Lovers of Shakespeare and aficionados of 16th century historical fiction alike will be fascinated by this tale of intrigue, passion, life and death, in the tradition of Shakespeare in Love.