In the Company of Actors (2007)

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It's rare that audiences have the opportunity to watch actors perfect their roles in the sacred space of the rehearsal room, but in this documentary detailing the Sydney Theater Company's production of Hedda Gabler at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, theater fans are afforded the… More It's rare that audiences have the opportunity to watch actors perfect their roles in the sacred space of the rehearsal room, but in this documentary detailing the Sydney Theater Company's production of Hedda Gabler at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, theater fans are afforded the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do precisely that. It's five weeks until opening night, and the weight of anticipation is beginning to bear down. With a cast that includes Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Anthony Weigh, and Justine Clarke, there's no question that the stage is filled with some of Australia's finest actors. Holding this impressive collective of talent together is director Robyn Nevin -- a consummate perfectionist who isn't satisfied until every line has been perfected and every move blocked. And she's got proper cause to be concerned, too; while theater fans are well familiar with Hedda Gabler, this particular production is a modern interpretation of the familiar tale adapted by Andrew Upton. After three weeks of 18-hour days spent perfecting the play in their sweltering Sydney rehearsal room, the crew is now set to travel to Brooklyn, NY, in the heart of winter. But how will a reputedly sophisticated and decidedly outspoken New York audience receive this radical interpretation of this familiar favorite? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi