Aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.
Pepa resolves to kill herself with a batch of sleeping-pill-laced gazpacho after her lover leaves her. Fortunately, she is interrupted by a deliciously chaotic series of events.
Young Shakespeare is forced to stage his latest comedy, "Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter," before it's even written. When a lovely noblewoman auditions for a role, they fall into forbidden love -- and his play finds a new life (and title). As their relationship progresses, Shakespeare's comedy soon transforms into tragedy.
National Theatre Live’s 2010 broadcast of Alan Bennett’s acclaimed play The Habit of Art, with Richard Griffiths, Alex Jennings and Frances de la Tour, returns to cinemas as part of the National Theatre's 50th anniversary celebrations. Benjamin Britten, sailing uncomfortably close to the wind with his new opera, Death in Venice, seeks advice from his former collaborator and friend, W H Auden. During this imagined meeting, their first for twenty-five years, they are observed and interrupted by, amongst others, their future biographer and a young man from the local bus station. Alan Bennett’s play is as much about the theatre as it is about poetry or music. It looks at the unsettling desires of two difficult men, and at the ethics of biography. It reflects on growing old, on creativity and inspiration, and on persisting when all passion’s spent: ultimately, on the habit of art.
After young playwright, David Shayne obtains funding for his play from gangster Nick Valenti, Nick's girlfriend Olive miraculously lands the role of a psychiatrist—but not only is she a bimbo who could never pass for a psychiatrist—she's a dreadful actress. David puts up with the leading man who is a compulsive eater, the grand dame who wants her part jazzed up, and Olive's interfering hitman/bodyguard—but, eventually he must decide whether art or life is more important.
Desperate for a breakthrough as she nears the big 4-0, struggling New York City playwright Radha finds inspiration by reinventing herself as a rapper.
A successful veterinarian and radio show host with low self-esteem asks her model friend to impersonate her when a handsome man wants to see her.
When perpetually single, aging music industry exec Harry Sanborn, and his latest trophy girlfriend, Marin, arrive at her mother's beach house in the Hamptons, they find that her mother, playwright Erica Barry, also plans to stay for the weekend. Erica is scandalized by the relationship and Harry's sexist ways. But when Harry has a heart attack while there, and the doctor prescribes bedrest, his only option is to stay at the Barry home. Left in the care of Erica and his doctor, a love triangle starts to take shape.
1927. The place is Kalmar and the Grossman family home. A hungover manufacturer Julius Grossman and his wife Solveig are waiting at home for their daughter Betty to arrive by train from the capital. To their great surprise, she arrives in a car with her suitor Greger in tow. What's more, she seems to be full of contemporary trends and modern ideas about marriage, among other things. Her father Julius would rather see her marry his business partner Hilding and thus retain control of the company. Hilding is a dull, somewhat dreary, and slightly overage bachelor who suddenly becomes every woman's dream prince when a rumor begins to circulate that he had a relationship with the famous movie star Rita Ray in his youth.
A mother and daughter dispute is resolved by the "Yaya sisterhood" - long time friends of the mother.
A Broadway playwright puts murder in his plan to take credit for a student's script.
Young writer Richard Collier is met on the opening night of his first play by an old lady who begs him to "Come back to me". Mystified, he tries to find out about her, and learns that she is a famous stage actress from the early 1900s. Becoming more and more obsessed with her, by self-hypnosis he manages to travel back in time—where he meets her.
Three smart and sexy friends, Andrea, Lauren and Emily, are fed up with being played by the men in their lives. To prove that all men are predictable and easily seduced, this hot trio decides to play by a new set of rules. They enter into a wild game of seduction to convince one lucky man that he's living the dream... but what the girls don't realize is their mark is on to their game and he's got a few plays of his own. Can the girls win? Or, will this player's double play end their game?
At the behest of an old and dear friend, playwright Lillian Hellman undertakes a dangerous mission to smuggle funds into Nazi Germany.
A broadway playwright is burning the candle at both ends. He is dealing with pressure from a production nearing premiere, a wife who is leaving him, and 5 children 4 of which belong to her.
Paul, a 45-year-old businessman, is about to radically change his life ... He organized everything down to the smallest detail the lucrative sale of his website to a Russian company, his divorce and his departure on a paradise island with his mistress .... The sole confidant of his stratagem and his plans for the next day: his friend Michel, a naive and blundering computer genius who follows Paul like a beacon ... But on the eve of this fateful day , everything changes: a short circuit causes the oven to explode just when Paul is in the kitchen. He came out unscathed, but against all odds, completely lost his memory ... Recorded at Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens
The Star Wagon is a play in black and white starring Dustin Hoffman.
Wildly optimistic chatterbox Eva Lovelace is a would-be actress trying to crash the New York stage. She attracts the interest of a paternal actor, a philandering producer, and an earnest playwright. Is she destined for stardom, or will she fade like a morning glory after its brief blooming?
Broadway producer Max Bialystock and his accountant, Leo Bloom plan to make money by charming wealthy old biddies to invest in a production many times over the actual cost, and then put on a sure-fire flop, so nobody will ask for their money back – and what can be a more certain flop than a tasteless musical celebrating Hitler.
Drama critic Larry Mackay, his wife Kate and their four sons move from their crowded Manhattan apartment to an old house in the country. While housewife Kate settles into suburban life, Larry continues to enjoy the theater and party scene of New York.