The first edition in over 100 years of the fascinatingly varied body of plays that has become known as "The Shakespeare Apocrypha". Among the highlights are the whole text of Sir Thomas More, which includes the only scene from any play to survive in Shakespeare's own handwriting; the history play Edward III, including a superb seduction scene by Shakespeare; and the domestic murder tragedy Arden of Faversham, in which Shakespeare's hand has been detected by recent computer-assisted analysis. This is also the first ever Shakespeare edition to include the 1602 edition of Thomas Kyd's pioneering The Spanish Tragedy, with "additions" that the latest research attributes to Shakespeare. Included is a comprehensive account of the authorship and attribution of each play.

General introduction / by Jonathan Bate. Collaborative plays ; The first folio and the creation of the Shakespeare canon ; A brief history of the Shakespeare apocrypha ; This edition : texts and editorial conventions -- Arden of Faversham -- Locrine -- Edward III -- The Spanish tragedy (with additions) -- Thomas Lord Cromwell -- Sir Thomas More -- The London prodigal -- A Yorkshire tragedy -- Mucedorus (with additions) -- Double falsehood, or, The distressed lovers. Cardenio : the source -- Authorship and attribution / by Will Sharpe. 'What's like to be their words' : the case for internal evidence ; Plays included in this edition ; Plays excluded in this edition -- From script to stage / interviews by Peter Kirwan. Terry Hands on directing Arden of Faversham ; James Wallace on directing Locrine ; Caroline Faber and David Rintoul on playing in Edward III ; Michael Boyd on directing The Spanish tragedy ; Robert Delamore on directing Sir Thomas More ; Nigel Cooke on playing Thomas More ; Stephen Unwin on directing A Yorkshire tragedy ; Alex Hassell on playing in Cardenio ; Gregory Doran on directing Cardenio.