THE REHEARSAL
Canada/UK/US, 2015, 100 minutes, Colour.
Bruce Greenwood, Dean Geyer, Deborah Kara Unger, Rhian Rees, Rob Morrow, David Cubitt.
Direction by Carl Bessai.
The Rehearsal is a very entertaining film for those who love theatre and have something of a down on the movies, especially the adrenaline-pumping action shows.
Bruce Greenwood, a very versatile actor from Canada in many Canadian and American films over several decades, must be very thankful to have this role. He is a veteran British actor, impeccable accent and all, in the vein of Derek Jacobi. As he has aged, he decides to buy an abandoned London Theatre, renovate it and put on a season of Chekhov. The performance of the The Cherry Orchard fails. Greenwood is very good indeed.
David Cubitt is his very camp financial adviser as well as personal partner and gets the brainwave to bring in Hollywood star, Blaise Remington, action hero (Dean Geyer, South African born, Melbourne educated). Greenwood’s Longfellow has never heard of him, thinks the idea repellent, and has looked down on movies for many decades (although it is revealed that he was a bartender in Thunderball).the audience has been shown some clips of car chases with the hero sitting in a theatre rapt in admiration of his work.
The audience is given some insight into Hollywood, a flamboyant Scandinavian director subject to moods in making his action shows, the pressures of time and budget, the pressures of press conferences and premiers, fake romances, the disappointment of films being shelved. Rob Morrow plays an agent – and one hopes that a lot of his activities and spiels are spoofs!
Canadian Deborah Kara Unger plays Lady Ellen, a veteran actress, also with impeccable British accent, holding a torch for the gay Longfellow and able to take the American performer in hand. Also in the cast is a teacher who has put on a conversion of Titus Andronicus in a North American school and is fired because of complaints about the bloodthirstiness. She accompanies her roommate to an audition and is mistaken by Blaise Remington for an actress and he casts her as the heroine. She is played by Rhian Rees. And she does not know who Blaise Remington is.
The enjoyment of the film is in the auditions, the rehearsals, the perspective of the veteran director, his having to deal with a brash young man who is rather ignorant of the classics and is used to performing on cue in the movies. Needless to say, each of the men undergoes something of a transformation – with a climax at the end when Hollywood pressurises the star to film and so miss the opening night of the play.
And there is a pleasing movie joke at the very end of the film.
1. An entertaining film about theatre British Theatre, London Theatre, the classics, Chekhov?
2. The London settings, Theatreland, the streets, the theatres, the atmosphere of London? The interior of the theatre, auditorium, stage, rehearsals? The musical score?
3. The title, the focus on the rehearsals, auditions, the readings, dress rehearsal, the role of the director, the actors and performance, learning, discussions
about motivations and characters?
4. The English atmosphere of the film? Filmed in London, Hollywood, Vancouver?
5. Audience response to Chekhov, his plays, Russia in the 19th century, his characters, interactions, dialogue? The comments about his relationship with Stanislavsky and actors and the Method?
6. The contrast with Hollywood action films? The car chase sequences? The actor watching? Editing, shelving projects? The reputation of actors? The role of action film directors? The pressure of budgets, time, whims of performance and directors? The role of agents? The press, fake romances, press conferences? The effect of actors and living up to reputation, besieged by fans, the reality?
7. Bruce Greenwood as Longfellow, Canadian, his English accent, his channelling actors like Derek Jacobi? His age, experience in the theatre, acting, directing, absorbing the British traditions? Looking down on the movies? The revelation that he had been a bartender in Thunderball and pestered the director about his back story? His buying the Highgate Theatre, the plans, the Chekhov season? His cast? His relationship with Clive? Personal? Business? Relying on Clive’s shrewdness? The failure of the first play?
8. Clive, smart, signing up Blaise Remington, the details of the contract, giving him cast approval? Longfellow’s reaction?
9. Introduction to Blaise, the car chase, his watching it in the theatre? His wanting something more, longevity in acting? The shelving of the film? His dealing with his agent, the discussions, the agent and his playing minigolf etc? The decision to do the play? His contract? Control?
10. Longfellow, the rehearsals, Blaise arriving, interrupting? His dismissing the actor? His wanting to make cuts in the script not realising how classic Chekhov was? The meeting with Julia at the airport in the accident, not knowing who he was? Seeing her outside, inviting her in to have a look around, giving her the script, her audition, his wanting her? The irony of her roommate, waking her up, going to the audition, the roommate being sick, her not even being heard?
11. Ellen, her status, Lady, relationship with Longfellow, Romeo and Juliet in the past, in love with him even though he was gay? Her performances? Arrival, the grande dame, reaction to Blaise, the groupies at the rehearsal, getting the selfies taken and ushering them out? Taking some control over him?
12. Blaise, being used to moviemaking, having the script, cutting the script, his ignorance of Chekhov, the modern sensibility, thinking that Method came with Robert De Niro instead of Stanislavsky? His interventions?
13. Julia, her background in the school, putting on Titus Andronicus, the blood, the complaints? Returning to England? Her roommate, the audition, Blaise, the opportunity? Her gratitude towards Longfellow? The friendship with Ellen, the pub, the darts and reminiscing? Her decision to help Blaise, the readings, walking in the park, around London?
14. Straight talk from Longfellow, the rules of the theatre, Blaise having to learn? His change, his behaviour with his phone, Sapphire and her calls and texting, Chuck and the bad news about his film? The dinner scene and the improvising? His gradually learning?
15. Longfellow and his admiration? The other members of the cast and their support – and the actor who wanted Blaise to help him break into LA? The discussions with Blaise, in the dressing room, shirt off? At Longfellow’s home, Blaise looking into his childhood, possible resentments, understanding his character?
16. Chuck, to London, the news about the film, recut, the release, the Premiere? The press, control, Sapphire? The moody director? Julia seeing this and disappointed?
17. The filming, in the car, Blaise wanting to improvise, Sapphire bewildered? The tantrums of the director? Chuck, the caravan, putting the option, movie or play?
18. The opening, the crowds, the fans, Clive having to apologise, Longfellow coming on stage, his speech, Blaise arriving? The performance, success? Curtain calls?
19. And the humorous ending, the car chase, Longfellow as the villain, shooting Blaise, “actions speak louder than words�?
