Books2Movies Club discussion

This month we are reading something different. Compleat Female Stage Beauty is a play by a contemporary playwright, Jeffrey Hatcher, about a famous 17th century London theatre performer Kynaston, specialised for female roles at the dawn of a new era that at last allowed women to perform too.
I hope you'll enjoy the play as well as the 2004 movie, starring Billy Crudup, Claire Danes and Rupert Everett, for which the author himself wrote the screenplay.

I got this play through an interlibrary loan. The play is humorous in parts and bawdy as was its time. I think almost all the characters in the play are based on real people. There are a lot of stage directions to read through, especially in the first act. I think I would have enjoyed seeing the play a lot more than reading it. The end has Kynaston finding his way after being replaced by women in the roles he had made famous. The role of Desdemona in Othello was his most applauded. All in all, I liked the play and would definitely go see it. A good glimpse into 17th century theatre. Now I will put the movie at the top of my Netflix queue and am looking forward to seeing it!

Watched the Movie, Stage Beauty and it was excellent! The chemistry between Billy Crudup and Claire Danes was great. Claire's character in the movie combined two of the characters in the play, but the screenplay written by playwright Jeffrey Hatcher seamlessly picked out the best scenes from the play. It was nice to see such great acting from the leads and many of the supporting characters, including Tom Wilkinson as Betterton. The themes of the play were brought out nicely in the movie - how do we define sexual identity and how is that identity acted on the stage. In the movie, the last playing of the Desdemona death scene from Othello is mesmerizing and shocking; and although not authentic to the 17th century, fits the themes the screenwriter, Hatcher, wanted the film to bring out. The extras on the DVD were good too and brought more understanding to the movie. I'm glad I watched the movie and I think that one doesn't have to read the stage play to enjoy the movie. Just a warning that there are a couple sex scenes that may offend some people.

Margaret wrote: "Watched the Movie, Stage Beauty and it was excellent! The chemistry between Billy Crudup and Claire Danes was great. Claire's character in the movie combined two of the characters in the play, but ..."

I am so glad you liked the movie! I stumbled upon it accidentally and fell in love with it at once, that much that I bought the play. I am so eager to read it as soon as possible, but yes I agree, if one can't find the play, the movie should suffice, considering the playwright himself wrote the script for it :)

I read the play last October but only now came around to write something about it. It was really good and exciting play, that I finished it under an hour. Every scene was so vivid and witty, and they all made sense to the whole. I wish only the story did something more with Maria. it is fine though because the focus of the play was on the acting itself and the love of doing it. There are no limits if there's a passion for it (and talent).

Jeffrey Hatcher did a brilliant job brushing and refining his own play for a film. It is even better than the stage version, because making Margaret and Maria one and the same person, made the script tighter. The actors did absolutely terrific, passionate performances, making me really want that their love overcomes their rivalry.