IMDb 7 1988 HD

Backstage

Backstage

1988
94 min NR Australia
6 / 10
7 IMDB

The plot centred on American pop singer Kate Lawrence (Branigan) wanting to embark on a career as an actress. The only job she can find is playing the…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Jonathan Hardy
Starring
Laura Branigan / Michael Aitkens / Rowena Wallace / Kim Gyngell / Graham Duckett

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

ambitious dramatic tense romantic cultural artistic conflicted determined skeptical engaging conventional functional

Reviews

I
Isabelle Moreau
May 19, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

'Backstage' presents a compelling narrative of ambition and adaptation, featuring Laura Branigan as a pop star seeking legitimacy as an actress. Her arrival in Australia to star in a local production ignites a predictable but well-executed tension with…

M
Marcus Bell
May 19, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

With 'Backstage', we are treated to a surprisingly effective drama centred on Laura Branigan's character, Kate Lawrence, as she attempts to forge a serious acting career in Australia. The film smartly uses her outsider status as a catalyst…

P
Penelope Davies
May 19, 2026
2.5 / 5
2.5

The transition of pop singer Kate Lawrence into thespian territory forms the crux of 'Backstage', a 1988 drama that doesn't quite hit its stride. Laura Branigan is tasked with carrying the film as Lawrence, a role that demands…

A
Arthur Finch
May 19, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

'Backstage' offers a fascinating glimpse into the cutthroat world of theatre, viewed through the eyes of an American pop sensation, Kate Lawrence, played with conviction by Laura Branigan. Her quest to prove herself as an actress in Australia…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 19, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

Laura Branigan takes centre stage in 'Backstage', a film that chronicles her character's ambitious leap from pop stardom to the dramatic arts. The premise of an American singer taking a lead role in an Australian theatre production is…

FAQs

The theatre critic, Robert Landau, plays a pivotal role in 'Backstage,' acting as both a professional arbiter and a romantic interest for the protagonist, Kate Lawrence. His critical eye holds considerable sway over the success of the production and, by extension, Kate's acting aspirations. The affair introduces a significant conflict of interest, blurring the lines between objective appraisal and personal involvement, and adding a layer of intrigue to the professional and personal stakes of the story.