Born again: fresh take on 1940s comedy about Washington corruption

Comedy, corruption and sexy 1940s charm come to the Old Mill Theatre this June in the play Born Yesterday. Written by Garson Kanin – responsible for many Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn films – it follows the uncouth, corrupt and rich junk dealer Harry Brock and what happens when he brings his showgirl mistress Billie Dawn to Washington DC. After realising it was a mistake, Brock hires a journalist to educate Billie so she stays out of the way, which proves to be another misstep. Billie becomes aware of Brock’s corruption and interferes with his plans to bribe a congressman into passing legislation that would allow his business to make more money. After being a major Broadway success, Born Yesterday was adapted into a 1950 film with Judy Holliday who scored an Academy Award for playing Billie. The play experienced successful Broadway revivals in 1989 and 2011 and was again made into a film in 1993 with Melanie Griffith, John Goodman and Don Johnson. Director Noel O’Neill said Born Yesterday appealed to him because of its themes of corruption within a comedy. “I like the comedic brute force and ignorance of the Harry Brock character and the Pygmalion-esque quality of Billie Dawn,” he said. “She has a similar Eliza Doolittle transformation.” Noel may be familiar to Old Mill Theatre audiences after writing and directing last season’s No Bed of Roses. “The main challenge with Born Yesterday is taking the actors back to the 1940s and early 1950s because the characters are the sort we rarely see today and the dialogue is different,” he said. “The play also demands lots of energy from the actors because they are all very well-written character roles.” The cast of Born Yesterday features Adam Petersen, Britni Leslie, Robert Ross, Jack Wimhurst, Rodney Greaves. Norma Davis, Rex Gray, Carmen Mackay, Valerie Dragojevic, Neel Goodwin, Tony McLeod and Clare Roszak. Born Yesterday plays at 8pm, May 31, June 1, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14 and 15 with a 2pm matinee June 9. Tickets are $25, $20 concession – book on 9367 8719, oldmilltheatre@iinet.net.au or online at www.oldmilltheatre.com.au. The Old Mill Theatre is on Mends Street, South Perth, opposite the Windsor Hotel and Australia Post.