Based in the 1660's of London's theatres, this film is about the rules of gender roles in theatre production, and means to change them for everyone's benefit. Ned Kynaston is the homosexual cross-dressing actor who has been playing female parts in plays for years, particularly Desdemona in Othello, he also has a close relationship with a male co-actor. One day however, the rules of only men playing women could change when aspiring actress Maria auditions as Kynaston's praised role, Desdemona, and soon enough, King Charles II decides to make the law that all female roles should be played only by women. Maria becomes a star, while Ned finds himself out of work. But after a while, Ned finds it in his nature to forgive Maria's aspiration, they may even fall in love, and Charles may proclaim women will be played by either gender. Written by Jackson Booth-Millard In Stuart Restoration king Charles II's reign, gay actor Ned Kynaston, a specialist in female parts, enjoys the favor of the public on stage and royal favorite George Villiars, Duke of Buckingham, in bed. But his dresser, Maria, secretly learned acting by observing him and started performing (illegally) in a tavern. When the king's awfully common mistress, a former saleswoman, sides with Maria, the prohibition on actresses is lifted, later even reversed. Still Maria realizes she's artistically far inferior to Ned, and takes him in after bigot 'gentry' roughed him up badly..
