Sharp-witted “˜Stage Beauty’ flirts with identity struggle

“Stage Beauty” Directed by Richard Eyre
Lions Gate Films

Based merely on first impressions, Richard Eyre’s
“Stage Beauty” is most comparable to “Shakespeare
in Love.” Both period films boast a Shakespeare play, a
spectacular array of costumes and settings and a cross-dressing
backstage romance. Yet, a kind of “Tootsie” meets
“M. Butterfly” could more correctly characterize the
film as it cleverly toys with gender ambiguity and the fluidity of
sexual identity. Set in England during the 1660s under the
leadership of King Charles II, the film depicts the conclusion of
one social era and the beginning of another. Based partially on
reality, many of the characters bear names of real people and the
overall structure is rooted in real history. Overnight, Ned
Kynaston (Billy Crudup) finds his illustrious career as the most
sought after drag queen in shambles after the king issues a royal
edict that rids the theater of all anti-women restrictions. To his
dismay, Kynaston discovers his biggest threat is his former
dresser, Maria (Claire Danes), who harbors acting ambitions of her
own. Formerly breaking tradition and laws through clandestine
appearances in obscure theaters, she is now able to display her
talents publicly. Admittedly, Maria’s acting talents are
nowhere near perfect, but the mere novelty of the idea of a woman
acting on stage is enough to grant her instant celebrity status.
For anyone so talented, the next logical step for Kynaston would be
to try his hand at male acting. For him, this is easier said than
done; the years spent learning every mannerism and emotion of
females has taken its toll on his manhood. This is expressed in one
scene in which Kynaston must deliver the part of Othello, but is
unable to rid himself of Desdemona. In fact, it seems that Kynaston
enjoys being dressed in drag so much that his sexual identity is
constantly in limbo. This tension lends many moments for Crudup to
impressively show off a wide range of personas; in fact he is the
gem of the film. So much so, that the film seems to lose luster
when he is absent. Crudup encompasses the task of impersonating a
woman so well that it never feels awkward. One questionable aspect
of the film, however, is the romance that develops between Kynaston
and Maria. It is never developed to the point where it becomes
believable, much less desirable, for the audience. As a sub-plot,
it seems to be added just for mainstream appeal, which could be due
in part to Danes’ restricted performance, merely alternating
between doe-eyed innocence and outward frustration. Fortunately,
this minor disturbance does not put a damper on the film as a
whole. The brisk and witty moments are nicely complemented with
several intimate scenes which give audiences a view of a time when
men were men, and frankly, so were the women. -Laurie
Lo