The main topic of the film seems to be the impossible love between Shakespeare and Viola, that is to say a playwright and a well-born lady, and Romeo and Juliet. Another topic is the different steps or stages of the creation of a play. From the playwright's fantasy or lack thereof and his writing skills/talents to the lack of money in order to direct a play, so financial problems that have to be cared for.
Shakespeare, in the film, burns the first version of the first scene of Romeo and Rosaline because Rosaline cheated on/betrayed him and he is devastated. He meets Christopher Marlowe, his main competitor, who is another famous playwright before he was mysteriously assassinated. He tells him the real synopsis of Romeo and Ethel, that is to say Romeo is a young man of Verona, who is always in and out of love until he meets Ethel, his enemy's daughter.
Perhaps Thomas Kent, in fact Viola who is disguised as her nurse's nephew, fears Shakespeare might see 'he' is in fact a woman, which was not allowed/forbidden so she runs away back home by boat.
Her parents have organized a dance during which she will met Lord Wessex. Moreover they are planning to go to the countryside for 3 weeks. So she plans to go and play on stage with the help of a man's wig. She intends to play Romeo's part.
That night there is a dance at her p(a)lace. Shakespeare who has been waiting the whole day for Thomas Kent, enters the house with the musicians. He plays the tambourine and suddenly sees Viola. He falls in love with her at first sight and dances with her but he can not say a word so struck he is!
