'Stage Beauty' treads similar ground to 'Shakespeare in Love' as it considers the early cross-dressing roles that were the norm in theatre up to the late 17th century. Charles II (a rip-roaring performance from Rupert Everett) seeks to bring real women on the stage to play female roles, putting the likes of Ned Kynaston (a dull Billy Crudup) out of business.
The film explores the dynamics of the boys who played as girls and of the people around them. The story fixes on Kynaston and his dresser Maria (Claire Danes), who becomes a key Desdemona in her own right once the new rules come in. In passing we also meet Nell Gwyn(n), played by Zoe Tapper; Samuel Pepys (Hugh Bonneville, very good); and the Duke of Buckingham (ambiguous playing by Ben Chaplin).
Other well-known faces round out the cast under Richard Eyre's assured direction. 'Stage Beauty' takes an intriguing theme and develops it in a more mature way than other films on the topic. An enjoyable film overall.
The film explores the dynamics of the boys who played as girls and of the people around them. The story fixes on Kynaston and his dresser Maria (Claire Danes), who becomes a key Desdemona in her own right once the new rules come in. In passing we also meet Nell Gwyn(n), played by Zoe Tapper; Samuel Pepys (Hugh Bonneville, very good); and the Duke of Buckingham (ambiguous playing by Ben Chaplin).
Other well-known faces round out the cast under Richard Eyre's assured direction. 'Stage Beauty' takes an intriguing theme and develops it in a more mature way than other films on the topic. An enjoyable film overall.