Richard Bracewell Director, Producer Mathew Baynton William 'Bill' Shakespeare , Lord Burghley , English Messenger , Customs Official Actor Simon Farnaby Earl of Croydon , Juan Domingo , Sausage , Dmitri Alexandrovitch , Fur Seller Actor Martha Howe-Douglas Anne Hathaway , Molly , Spanish Courtier , Body Collector Actor Jim Howick Christopher Marlowe , Gabriel Montoya , Cynical Jester , Palace Doorman , Mysterious Man , Even Grubbier Thief , Party Planner Actor Laurence Rickard Sir Francis Walsingham , Lope Lopez , Stand-Up Jester , Chatty Guard , Slightly Late Courtier , Ian , Hanging Criminal , Chicken Drumstick Actor, Screenwriter Ben Willbond King Phillip II of Spain , Earl of Southampton , Grubby Thief , Alexander Dimitrievitch , Head of Guards Actor, Screenwriter Helen McCrory Queen Elizabeth I Actor Damian Lewis Sir Richard Hawkins Actor Tony Bracewell Producer Alasdair Flind Producer Charles Steel Producer Hugo Heppell Executive Producer Phil Hunt Executive Producer Christine Langan Executive Producer Joe Oppenheimer Executive Producer Compton Ross Executive Producer Andrew Hewitt Original Music Laurie Rose Cinematographer Gary Dollner Film Editing David Freeman Film Editing Billy Sneddon Film Editing Simon Scullion Production Design Keith Dunne Art Director Rosalie Clayton Casting