The Melancholy Mirror: Grey Gardens on Stage in Melbourne The story of the Beale women has long been a source of fascination, their fall from America's elite to squalor and poverty in East Hampton documented in the 1975 cult classic documentary Grey Gardens.
This tale is now being reimagined on stage at fortyfivedownstairs in Melbourne with the Tony Award winning musical.
The debate over whether Grey Gardens exploits its subjects or offers a nuanced portrayal has raged since its release, with some viewing the Beales as transgressive icons punished by societal restraints and others seeing their downfall as the result of mental illness and trauma.