Richard Eyre directs Stage Beauty, an "enjoyably bawdy romantic comedy" set in the 1660s. Claire Danes falls in love with a female impersonator played by Billy Crudup, who feels his job is under threat when women are at last allowed to appear on stage. Although this didn't match Shakespeare In Love for critical accolades and box office success, it got a warm reception from reviewers and those moviegoers who did venture to see it.

In The Spotlight

Setting The Stage: Behind The Scenes is a bland but informative series of interviews with cast and crew which, despite the title, offers no behind-the-scenes access. Director Richard Eyre speaks briefly about "trying to yoke the past and present together" to give a contemporary feel to the story "without being anachronistic". He talks more about this in his feature commentary, which again is laden with practical detail but delivered in a very dry manner.

Back to Setting The Stage and production designer Jim Clay expands on the issue of marrying past and present. He compares 17th-century London with a modern day Manhattan and cites NY photographer Nan Golding as the inspiration for the film's "seedy but sympathetic" portrayal of the city. Screenwriter Jeffrey Hatcher makes brief comment and, adding a little humour to the proceedings, costume designer Tim Hatley dishes the dirt on Rupert Everett who was "padded up" for his small part as King Charles II. He also gushes about Billy Crudup who apparently was "quite easy to get to look like a girl".

Wherefore Art The Featurettes?

You may be surprised to hear that it wasn't the opportunity to wear a corset and lipstick that appealed to Crudup, rather "the chance to play Desdemona in Othello". Claire Danes also gets a forum but chatters mostly about the function of her character and reveals that she spent just a month to master the English accent. Gwyneth Paltrow and Renée Zellweger should be afraid. Very afraid.

Aside from a trailer, that wraps up this DVD edition of Stage Beauty, which in the words of Shakespeare has "a lean and hungry look".

EXTRA FEATURES

The Stage Beauty DVD is out to buy on Monday 27th December 2004.