Based on the true story of an eighteenth century theatrical scandal, The Lost Shakespeare Play tells the tale of 19-year-old William-Henry Ireland, who has uncovered what he claims is a lost play by William Shakespeare. The play, entitled Vortigern, causes a sensation in literary circles, and many - experts and laypeople alike - are utterly convinced of its authenticity. But Edmond Malone, the foremost Shakespeare scholar of the day, is not. Malone and Ireland square off onstage in this comedy, each pleading his case as opening night approaches.