Stratford Boys

Hodder Literature: a new and exciting series of literature titles for Key Stage 3 for whole class use.

Unsure of quite how it happened, sixteen-year-old Will Shakespeare finds he has been roped into writing and putting on a play for the people of Stratford.

He's only ever penned the odd poem but now he's got just a few weeks to give the townspeople a show to remember.

With Adrian -- his trusty friend and reluctant director -- Will battles with his over-active imagination, an ever-evolving plot and, most importantly, his unruly company of actors -- the Stratford Boys.

There's Wat Lambert, the illiterate plasterer; Will's bumptious brother Gilbert; Adam of Muscovy, the pro from out of town; Jake, the tone deaf piper; and the school boys who are refusing to wear skirts.

But somehow, against the odds, Will and co perform Fortune My Foe to a packed house and rapturous applause -- is this the start of something great for the novice playwright?