John Fletcher, the man who took over The King's Men when Shakespeare died

John Fletcher was a prominent playwright during William Shakespeare’s lifetime, whose work came close to eclipsing that of the bard during the height of his popularity in early modern England. Friends, as well as colleagues with The King’s Men, Shakespeare and Fletcher collaborated on several key plays of Shakespeare like Henry VIII as well as Two Noble Kinsmen. John Fletcher was so prominent and important during the life of the bard that after Shakespeare’s death in 1616, it would be John Fletcher who took over the healm of the King’s Men to run the playing company under James I. Understanding the life of John Fletcher provides a unique window into the life and times of William Shakespeare and our guest today has done an extensive amount of research into John Fletcher as well as his relationship to Shakespeare. We are delighted to welcome Lucy Munro as our guide into the life of John Fletcher and his friendship with William Shakespeare.

Lucy Munro, is a professor of early modern literature at King’s College London, and author of an entire chapter on John Fletcher in the recent book The Shakespeare Circle.