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Upstart Crow (2016)
The 2016 British comedy Upstart Crow has been praised for its witty writing and clever jokes, but it also contains some surprisingly risqué moments. The show follows the life of William Shakespeare, played by David Mitchell, as he navigates the world of Elizabethan theatre. While the show is primarily a lighthearted comedy, it does contain some surprisingly sexual moments.
One of the most memorable scenes in Upstart Crow is when Shakespeare and his friend, Kit Marlowe, are discussing the art of seduction. Marlowe gives Shakespeare a lesson in the art of wooing women, and the two men have a surprisingly frank conversation about sex. Marlowe advises Shakespeare to “make love, not war” and to “treat women like a fine wine.” This scene is both funny and surprisingly risqué for a show that is primarily a comedy.
Another memorable sexual moment in Upstart Crow is when Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway, discovers that he has been writing love letters to another woman. Anne is understandably angry, and the two have a heated argument about Shakespeare’s infidelity. This scene is surprisingly frank for a show that is primarily a comedy, and it is a reminder that even in the Elizabethan era, people were not immune to the temptations of infidelity.
Finally, Upstart Crow also contains some surprisingly risqué moments when Shakespeare and his friends are discussing the art of lovemaking. In one scene, Shakespeare’s friend, Richard Burbage, gives him a lesson in the art of seduction. Burbage advises Shakespeare to “treat women like a fine wine” and to “make love, not war.” This scene is both funny and surprisingly risqué for a show that is primarily a comedy.
Overall, Upstart Crow contains some surprisingly risqué moments that are sure to surprise and delight viewers. From frank conversations about sex to heated arguments about infidelity, Upstart Crow is a show that is not afraid to tackle some of the more risqué aspects of life in Elizabethan England.
No sex is shown. Relatively chaste kissing occurs between actors on stage (sometimes man & woman, usually man & man due to prohibitions of females acting during the Elizabethan era). There's no nudity other than fleeting glimpses of statues or paintings on walls.
References to romantic and sexual desire are fairly frequent, and not generally vulgar, often couched in complex puzzles that emphasize language is being avoided. One recurring theme centers on insinuations that Will is bisexual or gay, which he denies.
Male clothing occasionally includes the "cod-dangle", stiff fabric which protrudes from the groin of pants like a banana, implicitly covering the penis.
Mentions of breasts and genitals occur now and then, mostly without vulgarity. Male actors playing the role of women wear coconut shell halves outside their shirts to portray breasts. Occasionally a woman will play the role of a man.
Several characters question Will as to why he made the character Juliet only 13 years old; implicitly, they felt she should have been older to be romantically and sexually involved with Romeo.
Following questions of whether a character is male enough to legally act on stage, the character is discovered to be hermaphroditic, that is, having sexual characteristics of both males and females.
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