Dark Meaning Mouse

In 1609, Shakespeare’s Sonnets were published with a purchase price of sixpence a copy. They were badly proof-read and riddled with errors. There are no contemporary references to them, only thirteen known copies in the world and they were never published again in the poet’s lifetime. It is as if they were withdrawn immediately after their appearance. Had they been published against the author’s wishes? Had they offended somebody?

Three mysterious characters appear in the poems – none have ever been conclusively identified; a fair young nobleman, a rival poet, and a dark enigmatic woman, whose capricious behaviour drives the author “frantic mad.”

Who was the mysterious “Dark Lady” of Shakespeare’s sonnets? Tony Haygarth’s carefully researched and poetic play examines the possible relationship between the famous bard and his passionate, tempestuous and extraordinary muse.