Short synopsis:
Mary, Countess of Pembroke, was the central figure in the covert circle of brilliant dramatists known as “The Grand Possessors,”
so named by the great Italian mystic/adept, Giordano Bruno, who imparted to them all he could of the ancient hermetic wisdom
during his sojourn in London years before his tragic martyrdom in Rome in 1600. Organized and inspired primarily by Mary after
the tragic death of her legendary brother, Sir Philip Sydney, these creative geniuses joined her in a secret literary cabal
eventually known to the world as “William Shakespeare.”
THE GRAND POSSESSORS: The Secret Life of Shakespeare re-creates the fascinating world of the English Renaissance
and features not only Lady Mary but several of the notorious figures of the queen’s court whose amazing unofficial stories
remain virtually unexplored. From the perspective of the blithe spirit, Ariel (who figures prominently in The Tempest),
we experience the magic, terror, and beauty of that pivotal era not unlike our own. The powerful and militarily aggressive
Hapsburg dynasty, committed to absolute power and the suppression of free thought, was on the move to conquer all of Europe
and the New World by the most brutal means, while only England and the tough-minded Elizabeth stood against them. She had
zero tolerance for her courtiers dabbling in the bawdy public theater, and since punishment for such an offense was drastic,
why did this handful of nobles and aristocrats risk their lands and titles to bring their plays to the public theater?
Firstly, to educate, rally, inspire, and unify the English people to resist the relentless campaign of the Hapsburgs ruling
Spain and other parts of Europe. Dissatisfied with their already vast empire, these tyrants were conspiring with the Vatican
to conquer England, destroy the Protestant movement, and suppress the ancient wisdom traditions. And secondly, to speak truth
to absolute power in the only safe way open to them – through the messages conveyed within the context of the plays presented
before Queen Elizabeth and later King James, plays written by a dramatist widely suspected to be someone other than the
impresario and money lender, William Shaksper (his real name), a man whose own two daughters grew up illiterate.
THE GRAND POSSESSORS presents a vision of both Lady Mary’s outward and secret literary work with her noble and
controversial associates, her love of magick and mysticism learned at the knee of Dr. John Dee, her high-profile, difficult
marriage, her illustrious family, the men who loved her, and the exploits she shared with her clandestine lover, the
magnificent and unforgettable Sir Walter Ralegh.
Author’s note:
Growing up surrounded by alternative thinkers, I was familiar with the theory of Francis Bacon being the true Shakespeare.
However, it was not until my friendship with the remarkable and prolific English author, John Michell, that I was introduced
to the complexities of the Shakespeare authorship controversy dealt with so brilliantly in his best selling Who Wrote
Shakespeare? Seduced by the intrigue, I proceeded to research the mystery for several years, persuaded that Shakespeare
was not one man but a group of brilliant, visionary friends dedicated to the preservation of England and the highest
intellectual and spiritual ideals—a group revolving around one of the most admirable women in English literature, Lady
Mary Sidney Herbert, Countess of Pembroke—brilliant, indomitable, daring, and passionate! While I cannot prove it, this
is my studied version of the secret life of Shakespeare.
Currently available as a long treatment; to be published as a novel and produced as a feature film or TV series.