The Rehearsal

The Rehearsal is a 2016 New Zealand drama film directed by Alison Maclean. It is based on Eleanor Catton's novel of the same name. It was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival. Plot The instructors for the New Zealand drama school are selecting the first-year students. Stanley is admitted. The teacher Hanna is hard on him when he fails to add any emotion to his lines with Frankie. Shy and reserved Stanley meets his two roommates, William and Theo. Teacher Livia wants him to use life experiences to act authentically. Add a "Fuck you" and get physical. This is an acting school. A sex scandal breaks exposing married tennis pro George Saladin and his star student Victoria. Stanley meets Isolde and they exchange phone numbers. Stanley is assigned to a five-member group acting project. He meets with Hanna and does not connect with this teacher. She wants him to try harder and dig deeper. After lunch with his psychologist father, he does a role playing his father who likes to tell bad jokes. Dad does not want his son to be an actor. Hanna really liked his performance and gave him a book from her own library to read. She tells him acting is hard and he must go all the way. Keep going. Finally he has started acting. Victoria and Isolde are sisters and they talk a little about the scandal. Isolde tells her sister that she likes Stanley. Later Isolde tells Stanley she had seen Saladin with her sister. There was no forced sex and it looked consensual to her. Stanley's group has decided to use the sex scandal as their acting project. Stanley has not told Isolde and William reminds him she should know.