Born Yesterday (MTC) – theatre review

A bland first act opens up to a brilliant second, akin to a caterpillar metamorphosing into a radiantly colourful butterfly … in the MTC’s production of Born Yesterday, a screwball romance.

This American stage classic starts with uncouth junkyard tycoon Harry Brock settling into a swank Washington hotel suite, ready to grease the palms of a crooked US Senator. With him is his long-time mistress, ex-showgirl Billie Dawn, whose ignorance becomes a liability to Brock’s business dealings. That’s when Brock hires a Washington insider, journalist Paul Verrall, to educate her – a la Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion. But the question is, given her disinterest in virtually everything, does she have what it takes?

Notwithstanding its largely lighter tone, it still has plenty to say about the dark side of politics and humanity. Harry Brock is a bully, who – for as long as he has drawn breath – has taken whatever he wanted whenever he wanted it. Domestic violence, both mental and physical, is part of his repertoire. Furthermore, as is his wont, people with whom he associates come to him, not the other way around. He just hollers and they come a runnin’.

Written by Garson Kanin, Born Yesterday premiered on Broadway in 1946, starring Judy Holliday as Billie Dawn and was adapted into a successful 1950 film of the same name, for which Holliday received a Best Actress Oscar. In this MTC production directed by Dean Bryant, a lavish set complete with elegant, winding staircase to an upper level shows the opulence that would become the temporary digs for the strong-arm businessmen and his girl.

I found the first act unexpectedly dull, lacking pace and short on action and sizzle. Very little happened, save for establishing Brock’s credentials as a tyrant. The hour passed slowly. Born Yesterday was a totally different affair after a 20-minute interval. That’s when it really kicked into gear, grew legs and became thoroughly engaging and entertaining, thanks primarily to the efforts of one of our “stars to follow” actors, Christie Whelan Browne. She lit up the stage with her adept handling of Billie Dawn’s “coming of age” after two months of tutelage from her bookish mentor, the scribe Paul Verrall (Joel Jackson). Long prey to Harry Brock’s (Russell Dykstra’s) whims, she is a victim no longer, strategising her way out of his clutches.

Whelan Browne has a brilliant understanding of comic timing, which serves her well … to the delight of the audience. Dykstra appears to revel in his persona as the villain in the piece. He is the rubber-faced man, whose facial expressions are priceless. Tyler Coppin is Brock’s frequently inebriated legal eagle, Ed Devery, who manipulates the law to suit his employer, while Richard Piper is the Senator under Brock’s thumb and Chris Fortuna Brock’s lackey. Others in play are Heidi Arena and Josh Gates, who play multiple roles.

Complete with the odd song and dance number, Born Yesterday is a totally rounded vehicle in the second act – rich and redolent. One further surprise is in store before the curtain call, finishing with a flourish, drawing wild and totally justifiable applause. It is playing at Southbank Theatre, The Sumner until 25th February.

* Please note, I saw the first preview performance of Born Yesterday.

Alex First