by Garson Kanin
Goodwood Theatre 166a Goodwood Road, Goodwood
April 27, 28, May 3, 4, 5 @ 7.30, Matinees Sunday 29 @ 4.00; May 5 @ 2.00, Early Tuesday May 1 and Wednesday 2 @ 6.30presented by arrangement with Hal Leonard Australia as agents for Dramatists Play Service
"What the hell do I care about politics? I got enough trouble in my own racket."
It's 1946, the war's just over, and Harry Brock – a loudmouthed shady businessman – has descended on Washington DC, to cash in. He's a multi-millionaire, an egomaniacal, misogynistic bully, deeply suspicious of journalists and has a gorgeous trophy girlfriend.
Sound familiar?
Harry plans to buy a Senator, and bribe Congress to look the other way, while he forms a cartel to wheel and deal in World War II scrap metal.
His mistress – ex-chorus-girl Billie Dawn – is very, very beautiful...and very, very uneducated. To make her less of a Washington liability, Harry hits on the idea of hiring Paul Verrall – a handsome young reporter – to smarten her up.
The problem is that the more Billie learns, the more she realises just what a crook Harry is, and that she doesn't have to take his bullying any more. Horrified at what he has unwittingly helped to create, Harry looks around for ways "to make her dumb again".
But, it's too late. The delicious genie is out of the bottle.
Garson Kanin was both playwright and screenwriter, his credits including several of the great Katharine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy films. Born Yesterday famously starred the iconic comedienne Judy Holliday, both on stage, and in the classic movie, her performance winning her the Best Actress Oscar for 1950.
Written in 1946, it has now become astonishingly – and hilariously – modern.
MADELEINE HERD plays Billie Dawn, STUART PEARCE Harry Brock and JONATHAN JOHNSTON Paul Verrall, with David Roach, Greg Janzow, David Rapkin, Bronwyn Ruciak, Thomas Tessema and Jenna Bezuidenhout.
Born Yesterday is comedy at its side-splitting best, in the recent tradition of Independent Theatre's smash hits The Matchmaker and Before the Party.
