Red Curtain Hell

Shakespeare in Love

December 1998 •English

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.

Stuck on You

December 2003 •English

In Martha's Vineyard, Mass., conjoined twins Walt and Bob Tenor make the best of their handicap by being the fastest grill cooks in town. While outgoing Walt hopes to one day become a famous actor, shy Bob prefers to stay out of the spotlight. When a fading Hollywood actress, Cher, decides to get her show "Honey and the Beaze" cancelled, she hires Walt -- and his brotherly appendage -- as her costars. But their addition surprisingly achieves the opposite.

She Loves Me

June 2016 •English

Amalia and Georg work together at a modest Hungarian perfumerie, and have disliked each other from the very beginning. He thinks she's stuck up, and she thinks he's arrogant and mean. But each rapturously writes to a lonely hearts pen pal when the workday is done, and it doesn't take long for the audience to see that they're in love without realizing it. Originally live-streamed by BroadwayHD, then broadcast as an episode of the PBS series "Great Performances" (season 45, episode 3).

Emmenez-moi au théâtre: Le canard à l'orange

May 1979 •French

Falstaff

July 2000 •English

The Graham Vicks production of FALSTAFF opened the new Covent Garden Royal Opera House, and was not to everybody's taste; the garish primary colours of the costumes. The staging is effective--the complicated counterpoint of the ensembles is reflected in unobtrusive blocking that keeps the vocal lines clear and separate, especially in the final fugue. Bryn Terfel's Falstaff is a memorable creation, self-mocking and self-aggrandising at the same time--so much so, in fact, that he almost does not need the vast prosthetic body he has to wear for the part. Desiree Rancatore is an admirably sweet-toned Nanetta; Bernadette Manca di Nissa an appropriately sardonic Mistress Quickly; Roberto Frontali as Ford, in his Act 2 scena, perfectly distils and parodies every jealousy aria ever written, including Verdi's own. Haitink's conducting is exemplary in the lyrical passages, gets almost everything out of the fast and furious comic sections.

Hairspray Live!

December 2016 •English

A teenage girl living in Baltimore in the early 1960s dreams of appearing on a popular TV dance show.

Tootsie

December 1982 •English

When struggling, out of work actor Michael Dorsey secretly adopts a female alter ego – Dorothy Michaels – in order to land a part in a daytime drama, he unwittingly becomes a feminist icon and ends up in a romantic pickle.

Girl Rush

October 1944 •English

During the California Gold Rush, two down-on-their-luck vaudevillians attempt to become wealthy by bringing a girlie show to an all-male western mining town.

Paradoxes‎

October 2020 •Russian

Capital traffic jams and endless replacement of tiles on the sidewalks, filming of national films and absurd situations with artists, stories from the lives of neighbors and their dogs.

All's Well That Ends Well

March 1968 •English

An adaptation directed by Claude Whatham for the BBC's Theatre 625 slot. Essentially a recording of John Barton's acclaimed Royal Shakespeare Company production starring Catherine Lacey (the Countess), Ian Richardson (Bertram), Lynn Farleigh (Helen), Clive Swift (Parolles) and Sebastian Shaw (the King), it was broadcast on 3 June 1968.

As You Like It

October 1912 •English

After the overthrowing of Duke Senior by his tyrannical brother, Senior's daughter Rosalind disguises herself as a man and sets out to find her banished father while also counseling her clumsy suitor Orlando in the art of wooing.

Love in a Wood

January 1915 •English

The film is a contempary-set version of William Shakespeare's play As You Like It.

As You Like It

March 1963 •English

One of the earliest hits for the newly established RSC, Michael Elliott’s sparkling version of Shakespeare's comedy is still remembered with joy by a generation of theatre-goers. The design was dominated by a huge oak tree, but the production is most memorable for Vanessa Redgrave’s luminous Rosalind, supported by Max Adrian and Ian Bannen.

As You Like It

January 1983 •English

Shakespeare's As You Like It is a delightful romantic comedy , lavishly staged by the renowned Stratford Festival. A favorite with audiences throughout the centuries, this fairy tale is a brilliant magical celebration of romance, passion and unity. Pitting young love against the vanity of the court. It is the familiar story of exiled lovers reunited, of woodland meanderings, of mistaken identity and disguise, and of political wrongs set right. As in all of Shakespeare's plays, this is a story rich in mythology which deals with the transformation of souls from evil to good.

¡Three Amigos!

December 1986 •English

A trio of unemployed silent film actors are mistaken for real heroes by a small Mexican village in search of someone to stop a malevolent bandit.

Les Filles

January 2010 •French

Twelfth Night

October 2018 •English

Charming full text, modern, location based screen adaptation of William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night.

La Petite Hutte

January 2010 •French

A Cock and Bull Story

July 2005 •English

Steve Coogan, an arrogant actor with low self-esteem and a complicated love life, is playing the eponymous role in an adaptation of "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman" being filmed at a stately home. He constantly spars with actor Rob Brydon, who is playing Uncle Toby and believes his role to be of equal importance to Coogan's.

Monty Comes Back

September 2016 •English

After fighting with his boss and losing his job, Monty, a semi-successful thespian, flees back home to live with his parents under false pretenses. His old friends and family are left to deal with his inflated ego, while he comes to terms with the fact he isn't as 'great' as he may believe.