Stage Beauty (2004) - R

Stage Beauty is a fictional story based on the historical event of English Theater allowing women to play women. As we know, Shakespeare’s plays were composed of all male casts. Women’s roles were played by men. This film follows the fictional event of an actor, played by Billy Crudup, who specialized in playing women. Crudup’s character becomes unemployed when women play women. This leads to a personal crises where he loses his acting identify, personal gender identity and sexual identity.

Billy Crudup acting in this film is excellent. The 17th Century set design and costumes deserve an award. However, this film is remarkable because of a mind bending gender and sexual theme. The theme is how a homosexual man can teach a woman how to make love to him. Conversely, how then she can enjoy the sexual pleasures from a man skilled at being a woman. This is nothing but pure Shakespeare. Unfortunately, the film was not well received. I recommend it. 5/26/11