THE streets of 17th century London are brought vividly to life in Stage Beauty, a bawdy costume romp with heaving bosoms and cross-dressing aplenty, and strong echoes of Shakespeare In Love.

In 1660s London, Charles II (Rupert Everett) ascends to the throne and the air of Puritan austerity final lifts from the capital.

The arts, and particularly theatre, which had been driven underground, re-emerge as the entertainment of the masses.

At the Betterton Theatre, run by Sir Thomas Betterton (Tom Wilkinson), Ned Kynaston (Billy Crudup) holds audiences in thrall with his portrayals of the great female roles.

No other male actor comes close to Ned in his mimicry of the fairer sex, so as long as women are forbidden from taking to the stage his stardom is assured.

When Charles II issues a royal decree, at the behest of his mistress Nell Gwyn (Zoe Tapper), permitting women to act and forbidding men from taking their roles, Ned loses his livelihood and his identity.

Even his lover and patron, the second Duke of Buckingham (Ben Chaplin), deserts him for the security of a conventional marriage.

Ned watches forlornly as his dresser, Maria (Claire Danes), becomes the first woman to tread the boards to the delight of audiences.

The two begin an affair but as more women flood theatreland, so Maria's lack of talent also sees her facing unemployment.

Cast aside by their peers, Ned and Maria forge a daring plan to let their emotions for each other pour out on stage... with Ned playing his own sex for once.

Stage Beauty is a hugely entertaining yet bittersweet tale of romance and skulduggery amongst the theatrical set, seasoned with saucy humour and served with gorgeous costumes and make-up.

Crudup is superb as the male lead, who has retreated so far behind his feminine stage persona, he no longer knows his true self.

Danes brings vulnerability and real passion to her role, which runs the full gamut of emotion as Maria matures from a nervous wannabe starlet to a performer of great heart and soul.

The two actors kindle a potent screen chemistry, which positively explodes as Ned and Maria take to the stage to play Othello and Desdemona opposite one other.

Supporting cast is a hoot, including Richard Griffiths as a foul-mouthed aristocrat with a penchant for young men.

Jeffrey Hatcher's script, based on his own stage play Compleat Female Stage Beauty, is lively and rich in detail.

Only the finale falls slightly flat, with Ned seemingly no closer to his true identity.

See it at UCI, Odeon