Little is known with certainty about who Shakespeare, the man, was. In “The Upstart Crow,” Vincent Dowling creatively delves into centuries-old questions about the Bard’s personal life. This original comedy-drama focuses on Susanna Shakespeare Hall, the daughter of William Shakespeare, and Richard Burbage, the famed Elizabethan actor. Set in 1616, a few months after William Shakespeare’s death, the plot involves Susanna calling on Burbage to learn more about her father. The Bard had spent little time with his family, deserting them early in Susanna’s childhood. Hall resented his absence and neglect…yet enjoyed the prestige of being the daughter of the famous writer and the financial success. RICHARD BURBAGE: And you think you can find Will here, in London, in The Globe, with me? SUSANNA SHAKESPEARE: "Talk to Richard Burbage," my father said, the day before he died, "He always knew where to find me." Is that true? Ultimately, Susanna learns to hear not only her father's voice but also that of her other loved ones in the playwright's famous speeches. That is the greatest compliment to Shakespeare's genius: his immortal words continue to illuminate the human condition.The title of the play comes from a review written by poet and playwright Robert Greene in 1592, wherein Greene unflatteringly described Shakespeare as “an upstart crow.” The play runs a little over an hour, without intermission.