A collection of William Shakespeare plays filmed at the Globe Theatre, London. Dominic Dromgoole directs the history plays 'Henry IV: Part One' and 'Henry IV: Part Two', with Oliver Cotton as King Henry, Jamie Parker as his son and heir, Prince Hal, and Roger Allam as the jovial drunkard Sir John Falstaff. Mark Rosenblatt directs 'Henry VIII', with Dominic Rowan as Henry, Miranda Raison as Anne Boleyn and Ian McNeice as the powerful Cardinal Wolsey. Finally, Christopher Luscombe directs 'The Merry Wives of Windsor', with Christopher Benjamin as the loveable rogue Sir John Falstaff, and Serena Evans and Sarah Woodward as the scheming mistresses Page and Ford.

Depressed and plagued by insomnia, King Philippe V of Spain lies awake in his chamber. The queen, desperate to find a cure, hears of Farinelli - a castrato with a voice so divine it has the power to captivate all who hear it. Even Philippe is astonished when Farinelli sings, and he begs him to stay. But will Farinelli, one of the greatest celebrities of his time, choose a life of solitude over fame and fortune in the opera houses of Europe? And will his extraordinary talent prove to be a curse rather than a blessing?