The Woman Under the Stage is a story about struggling theatre actress Whitney (Jessica Dawn Willis) who has signed on for the lead in a mysterious and possibly cursed stage play with a rigorous and unorthodox production, lead by the Captain Kurtz of this expedition, the play's director Terrance Durrand (Matthew Tompkins) which brings her close to madness in order to achieve immortality upon the stage. It is always a challenge for filmmakers to bring the complexity of relationships, egos and clashing methods that come from behind the scenes of a theatrical production. Yet this haunting film from Director Ezekiel Decker and Producer Mitch McLeod does just that.
I had the privilege of experiencing The Woman Under the Stage on the big screen at it's Dallas premiere. The bigger the screen, the better for this feast of the eyes in ultra wide framing. The cinematography by Evan Burns is beautiful through it's use of premium glass upon a RED Helium 8K camera. Burns' eye for this world is as bright as the lights above the stage, yet stark and suffocating every waking moment away from it, just like how the characters feel in their core every moment they aren't allowed to perform. Left only with intrusive thoughts and crippling depression. You feel this unholy pain not only through the brilliant performances of the actors, but through Burns' imagery. Every shallow focus shot of Jessica Dawn Willis' doe eyes in various stages of emotion from concern to pure terror is a joy. The editing and color work by Marc Rouse was noteworthy as Rouse's steady hand knows when to cut away and when not too, allowing the extra time for a shot to breathe and sink into it's audience like whispers of the ghosts that inhabit the theater halls.
The film felt like equal parts Fincher, Cronenberg and Flanagan with it's tone, color palate and pacing. With some serious Iñárritu vibes as well. Yet it is it's own thing entirely. The smaller cast allowed everyone their moments to shine. Willis and Tompkins gave excellent performances as the leads, but I found myself especially drawn to the character of Phillip Costigan, played brilliantly by Phil Harrison. Harrison inhabited the role of the play's resident method actor with such pretentiousness and gravitas, that I couldn't look away when he was on screen. The Woman Under the Stairs is a film that outperforms its budgetary constraints (under $1 Million), by bringing together this supremely talented group of filmmakers, crew and actors. I highly recommend this film not only for drama/horror fans, but especially those of us that were theatre kids in high school, college and beyond. It speaks to you in certain ways that only those who have stood above the bright lights of the stage, looking into the dark abyss of the audience for those brief moments that seemed to last an eternity, as you waited for the approving rise of applause to justify your very existence, and what lengths you will go to in order get that feeling again.
