So you want to be an actor? Better think again, warns a new psychological drama, directed by Ezekiel Decker.
Warning signals abound.
Eager for a breakout role, Whitney (Jessica Dawn Willis) ignores her better instincts in the opening moments of The Woman Under the Stage, a cautionary tale about pursuing your dreams. At an audition for a lead role in a new stage production, she is informed by the (1) grey-bearded, neophyte director that the (2) mysterious play by an (3) unknown author who committed suicide on opening night requires that all involved with the production (4) must agree to live at the theater for the duration of rehearsals.
That’s at least four warning signals already! Add a fifth: the director, Terrence Durand (Matthew Tompkins) stridently offers no assurances of his qualifications or his vision for the play, and sounds like a beigerant bully. It’s a measure of Whitney’s deep-seated desire to express her artistry as a dramatic performer — and maybe become a star one day — that she blithely ignores all the warning signals and accepts the role when it’s offered.
Her live-in boyfriend is none too pleased, which seems in harmony with his utter lack of support for her as an actress, so he’s not a roadblock to her moving away for a couple months to live at the theater. Indeed, it seems as though getting away from him might provide her with a measure of relief from the relationship, except that her new rooming arrangements at the theater with the cast and crew are claustrophobic, at best.
The other two actors, Philip (Phil Harrison) and Jesse (Ashley Spicer), are not very good scene partners during the rehearsals. And, as expected, Terrence shows himself to be a tyrant as a director, ceaselessly barking commands without any true insight into the characters.
The play itself sounds like a misbegotten disaster, filled with purple prose that the actors struggle to bring to life. The skeleton crew supplies limited support. All in all, it looks, sounds, and feels torturous.
Then Whitney’s nightmares return.
In the opening sequence, nightmarish moments made their presence known. Later in the film, similar disquieting moments again disrupt Whitney’s already unsettled time at the theater. She’s a trooper, though, and firmly determined to carry on, come what may, even if everyone else begins to look askance at her.
Jessica Dawn Willis is quietly affecting as Whitney, who yearns to practice her craft on the largest stage possible, no matter the challenges. Directed by Ezekiel Decker, who co-wrote the original screenplay with Logan Rinaldi, The Woman Under the Stage is probably best described as an intense psychological drama with horror elements woven into its fabric.
It makes the best use possible of its minimal staging and a small cast, with evocative sound effects, nimbly photographed by Evan Burns and effectively edited by Marc Rouse. The film also makes a strong case for paying better attention to warning signals, which are intended to save your life.
The film is officially releases today (August 15, 2023) on VUDU, shortly followed by Amazon Prime, with a physical release later this year. For more information about the film, visit the official Absentia Pictures Faceball page.
Dallas Film Now. 