why am I still reading this?The play performed before Elizabeth on the eve of Essex's rebellion is reported to have been Richard II (a significant choice for her Majesty, as history will report).
It may interest you to know that the chubby Shakespeare in the Stratford-upon-Avon memorial bust dates from the 1700s. The original bust was also created after his death, but some believe his daughter Susanna Hall provided a death mask for the likeness. In surviving sketches, it doesn't look much at all like the water-retention Shakespeare we all know and love.
(We can at least take a pretty good guess that he was a victim of male pattern baldness, I'll give you that, and I did like the bit of a chapter on the presumptive targeting of good old satirical philandering "Adam Prickshaft" at our boy Will.)
Also, many critics believe that the earring on the so-called Chandros portrait that may or may not be Shakespeare is a fanciful later addition.
Love, ebear.
*spork*
And yes, I used the earring as a plot point in my book.
Because (all together now) I write fiction.
And so apparently does Mr. Ackroyd.
Gah, there's not enough spork in the world, Spleen.