STAGE BEAUTY
UK, 2004, 116 minutes, Colour.
Billy Craddup, Clare Danes, Tom Wilkinson, Rupert Everett, Ben Chaplin, Richard Griffith.
Directed by Richard Eyre.
The English Civil War of the 17th century, the protectorate of Oliver Cromwell and the subsequent restoration of the monarchy under Charles II have been the source of many films (Cromwell, To Kill a King, Forever Amber, Restoration). The focus of this film, as the title indicates, is the theatre. During the time of Cromwell’s Puritanism, the theatres were closed for almost twenty years. However, actors trained in secret, waiting for the day of re-opening.
Through Shakespeare in Love, audiences remember that men took on all roles in the theatre, including the roles of women. At the time of Charles II, women were forbidden to act. From his experience of his mother’s acting, from his time in exile in France where women were permitted on stage, and at the urging of Nell Gwynn, it is suggested, he revoked the regulation, reversing it so that only women could play women’s roles. This had terrible repercussions on the actors who had for years trained themselves in women’s gait, manners and attitudes.
Stage Beauty is the story of Edward Kynaston (Billy Crudup), mentioned by diarist Samuel Pepys as the most beautiful actor in London. At the opening we see him performing the role of Desdemona to Tom Wilkinson’s Othello. His personal assistant Maria (Clare Danes) has ambitions to play Desdemona herself.
With a touch of Restoration A Star is Born, his career collapses as hers develops, with the patronage of the King (Rupert Everett) and Sir Charles Sedgely (Richard Griffiths). Clare Danes is charming as the would-be actress (a term that Kynaston has never heard of mocks in amazement). Billy Crudup acquits himself very well in a most difficult role. He persuades us that he has been trained to live to play women’s roles, expert in flirtation as well. He also persuades us that this is a devastating crisis for him and his career. As for his life, it raises questions of his sexual identity in a period that was characterised by its licentiousness.
Stage Beauty takes us willingly into the history of the English theatre (especially the final performance of the death of Desdemona) and makes us reflect on the manners, mores and morals of the period.
1.Interest in the English theatre, the theatre traditions, Shakespeare’s plays, styles of performance, the roles of actors – men and women, the audiences, royal patronage?
2.The 1660s setting, the town of London after the parliamentary period, the externals of the streets and buildings, the theatres, an authentic atmosphere? The contrast with Charles II's court?
3.The costumes and décor, the theatre, the social life, the lavish style of the Restoration, the contrast with the taverns?
4.The musical score, capturing the atmosphere of the period?
5.The history of English theatre, the closure during the Puritan era, the style of interpretation in performance? The transition at this period to women acting on the stage? The previous tradition, men in the women’s roles?
6.The Puritan background, the closing of the theatres, the secret training? Theatres reopened in the Restoration? Charles II and his patronage? The styles of play? The performances of Shakespeare? Licensing the theatres, the actors, the legislation? The tradition of France and women acting on stage? Charles II and his peremptory change, the influence of Nell Gwynn? His own performances in plays, masques, his donning women’s dress in the performance? Nell in male dress?
7.The actors, their training, especially during the closure of the theatres? Being trained as boys, long years of absorbing all the feminine gestures, manners of speaking? Their own sexual identity? The change, the threat to their livelihood, the challenge in performance?
8.The character of Ned Kynaston? Seeing him initially as Desdemona, the style of performance, theatrical gestures and voice? Admired by the audiences? Betterton and his running of his theatre, his performance as Othello? Maria, helping with the costumes and make-up? Mouthing the lines with Ned? After the performance, the women fans, in the coach, the sexual advances? Sir Charles, the encounter with Ned dressed as a woman, feeling him, Ned’s anger? His return to the theatre, the talking with Maria? Rehearsing as a girl on the silent stage? Buckingham’s arrival, his sexual relationship with Buckingham?
9.Maria, in the theatre, assisting? Wanting to act, mouthing the lines of Othello and Desdemona? Her own performances, in secret? Borrowing the costumes, returning them? Acclaim? The advertisements for the play? The court and Ned discovering the truth about Maria? The issues of the law, the meal, Ned and his arguments, his feeling threatened? The meeting with Nell, Charles II? Charles and his criticism of the performance of Desdemona and wanting something exciting? His changing the decree, forbidding the men to perform as women? The audition for Maria, the failure? Yet his seeing her success, in society, Sir Charles and his patronage, the other actresses?
10.Ned and his hostility, people laughing at the change? The dinner at court? Buckingham and his ambiguous attitudes, especially in public at court? The audition and its difficulty? Nell, her disdain for Ned’s attitudes? Betterton and his having to cope? Ned and his leaving the theatre, down on his luck, singing in the tavern, Maria rescuing him?
11.The portrait of Charles II, his years in exile, relationship with women, the court, the masques, the theatre – the final performance of Othello and the expectations, people highly involved?
12.Ned and Maria, the relationship, the frank discussion about sexual behaviour and practice, the rehearsals together? The final performance, people being frightened, the intensity of the realism? His relationship with Maria – any future?
13.Buckingham, at the court, his relationship with Ned, his being engaged, rejecting Ned?
14.Sir Charles, the lewd approach to Ned dressed as a woman? His patronage of Maria and her relationship with him? At court, a licentious noble?
15.The sketch of Nell Gwynn, explaining her background, her joy in life, laughter, relationship with the king? Relationship with Maria, the discussions about acting, her disdain of Ned’s narrow attitudes?
16.A sketch of the history of theatre in the period, the power of performance, roles of men and women – and the use of Othello as the play to illustrate these themes?
