A female theatre dresser creates a stir and sparks a revolution in seventeenth century London theatre by playing Desdemona in Othello. But what will become of the male actor she once worked ... Read allA female theatre dresser creates a stir and sparks a revolution in seventeenth century London theatre by playing Desdemona in Othello. But what will become of the male actor she once worked for and eventually replaced?A female theatre dresser creates a stir and sparks a revolution in seventeenth century London theatre by playing Desdemona in Othello. But what will become of the male actor she once worked for and eventually replaced?
- Awards
- 4 wins & 1 nomination
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaClaire Danes and Billy Crudup became a couple after the filming of this movie. Crudup left his long-time girlfriend Mary-Louise Parker for Danes.
- Goofs"Sex" is used by characters as shorthand for sexual intercourse, a meaning the word didn't have until the 20th century.
- Quotes
King Charles II: Why shouldn't we have women on stage? After all, the French have been doing it for years.
Sir Edward Hyde: Whenever we're about to do something truly horrible, we always say that the French have been doing it for years.
This movie gives us a glimpse of how theatre functioned in England up to the times of Charles II. The female roles of all plays were portrayed by male actors. The school of acting in that era was an artificial one where actors relied in gestures and affectations that would be laughable today in a serious drama, but that was the way it was the accepted Method then, nothing to do with Stanivslaski, or Strassberg.
The leading figure of that theatrical world was Ned Keynaston, who was the most famous Desdemona of his time. There must have been a lot of gay men that were attracted to that world, as was the case with Mr. Keynaston, who might have been bisexual, although that comes as a secondary subplot. This actor is greatly admired by all, including the dressing assistant, Maria. This girl loved to be in the theatre, but could not, because only men were allowed. So instead, she goes to a second rate company that puts on plays in a pub and emerges as Margaret Hughes, an actress in her own right who will challenge Keynaston's Desdemona and makes that role, her signature role as well.
Claire Danes, as Maria, or Margaret Hughes, has never been better! She shines as the girl whose ambition is to be on stage. She is wonderful in the part. Ned, played with gusto by Billy Crudup, shows an unexpected range, although he has done theatre extensively. Both of these actors takes us back to London and make us believe that what we are watching.
A glorious English cast behind the two American principals are gathered to play effortlessly the theatrical figures of the time, and also the King and his court. Ruper Everett, as King Charles II, is hilarious. The scene in which he plays in drag with his mistress, Nell Gwynn, is one of the best things of the movie. Also, Richard Griffith, as lecherous Sir Charles Sedley, gives a stellar performance. Ben Chaplin, as the Duke of Buckingham, reveals the ambiguity of the men that were attracted to those early thespians.
Thoroughly enjoyable because of Richard Eyre's direction and eye for detail.
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Compleat Female Stage Beauty
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $782,383
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $38,654
- Oct 10, 2004
- Gross worldwide
- $2,307,092
- Runtime1 hour 46 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1