DIRTY BLONDE

Dirty Blonde is a contemporary love story between Jo and Charlie, two Mae West fans. Set in New York, the pair revisit the life of the stage and screen siren, renowned for her bawdy wit and unbridled sexuality.

“You can’t put all of Mae’s life and career into a 90-minute play, but you get to see her at different ages and how she rose to be the icon she became,” says Lara Mulcahy, playing the dual roles of Jo and Mae.

Mark Simpson, seen recently in The Rocky Horror Show, plays Charlie, Jo’s love interest and the boy who gets to meet Mae. Phillip Dodd rounds out the cast, playing all the other characters, which according to Mulcahy is, “no mean feat”.

Combine all these elements with the simple yet intimate staging of the ex-Darlinghurst Theatre (now Theatre 19), audiences will get a personal look at the actress who was ahead of her time; a woman who was tough, funny, sexy and talented.

“If they’re like me and pretty much knew nothing about Mae West before seeing Dirty Blonde they’ll walk away wanting to rent some of her movies,” says Mulcahy. “They’ll certainly leave… with a smile on their face and hopefully have had a few laughs along the way.”

Mar 8-31, Theatre 19 (formerly Darlinghurst Theatre), 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point, $30-40, 9331 3107, darlinghursttheatre.com