A woman playing a woman. Where's the trick in that?- Welcome to the 17th century stage|Where Ned Kynaston's (Billy Crudup) performance of Desdemona in Shakespeare's OTHELLO brings the house down nightly. Ned is the "most beautiful woman on the London stage." That is|until the King renounces the royal edict that only men can play women on stage. Enter Maria (Claire Danes)|Ned's seemingly loyal dresser|who becomes an instant star|leaving Ned to suppress his ardent feminine traits and make a man of himself.