Shakespeare in love is a romantic comedy for the 1990's set in the 1590's, telling the witty, sexy story behind the creation of the greatest love story of them all - Romeo and Juliet. Young Will Shakespeare is the up and coming playwright of the time but has been disastrously struck by the bane of the writer's life - writer's block. His comedy "Romeo and Ethel the Pirate's Daughter" is not going anywhere and the playhouse is under threat of closure. What Will needs is a muse - and she appears in the form of the beautiful (and betrothed) Lady Viola.