Compleat Female Stage Beauty

It is 1661, and the most famous portrayer of female roles on the London stage is Ned Kynaston. Like every other actor of this time, Kynaston is a man. A celebrity artist shining bright at the crest of the Restoration, Kynaston is applauded onstage and off for his interpretations of Shakespeare’s ladies, especially his Desdemona and his famous “death scene.” He’s the toast of the town and the very secret “mistress” of the powerful Duke of Buckingham, until King Charles, (at the prompting of his courtesan, Nell Gwynn) decides to change the law, allowing women to act,and making it illegal for men to play female roles on stage. Kynaston’s world is shattered. He loses his his livelihood, his lover and his sense of self. As the women become stars, Kynaston’s own light disappears until fate and his desire for revenge give him a chance to take the stage again.