re:mote voices

Title: Stage Beauty
Cast: Claire Danes, Billy Crudup, Tom Wilkinson, Ben Chaplin, Hugh Bonneville, Zoe Tapper, Rupert Everett
Director: Richard Eyre

For me, one of the most ironic things about this film is when they are discussing the nature of Billy Crudrup's character versus that of Claire Danes, the suggestion that those who do it first will get more attention and celebration.

Given the similarities between Shakespeare In Love and Stage Beauty that idea should be borne in mind, especially when most discussions of Stage Beauty can't really not mention Shakespeare In Love. With some even describing Stage Beauty as Shakespeare In Love only better, which should obviously be an extreme exaggeration. Given that the base line of Stage Beauty is very much the same plot as Shakespeare In Love, with the slightest of twists.

Stage Beauty is a darker film, asking the question of what happens to the man who has spent his entire life playing women on stage, when suddenly women are allowed to play women on stage? Billy Crudrup plays that man, one who has been raised in an abusive manner to totally become the part of a woman on stage. Betrayed by his costume woman and her own desire to do what he does. Time wise the narrative takes place during the reign of Charles II, returned from exile after the execution of his father and the rise of Puritanism. The concept from there being that the Puritans felt that women on stage led to lust and evil, so they outlawed them, but with the king back on the throne and the Puritans out of power, then women can return to the stage.

On the whole the film is well done, in terms of execution and composition, the film looks good. In terms of plot/delivery the film certainly has a sense of humour, especially playing with the societal one-up-manship and the deviance of the king, but this is also where it gets darker as well. As the leading actor playing women's parts Edward Kiniston is played by Crudrup as a swaggering cocky femme, convinced of his own importance. But as someone who suddenly finds themselves out of work then the tables have turned and he finds his life crashing down.

Another scene I found ironic was the discussion surrounding Clare Danes proving that she is a woman on the advertising for her stage debut, and the need thereby to flash a tit. This seems to provide some kind of parallel with the way things work in modern Hollywood, and the media surrounding young actresses. Of course in Shakespeare In Love, Gwyneth Paltrow did nudity and won the Oscar for her part. One wonders if there is something of a copy cat nature going on with the motivation for getting Danes to flash - especially given that I am not aware of her having done nudity in the past. However the result of this scene, where Danes does indeed flash a tit, comes across as being particularly gratuitous, even more so than the notorious Halle Berry scene in Swordfish.

If you liked Shakespeare In Love you will probably very much like Stage Beauty, it is undoubtedly more of the same. If you didn't like Shakespeare In Love, you might still like Stage Beauty, it is darker, more knowing, and on the whole has a more likeable cast.