“The space is itself pretty intimidating, and when the audience comes in, they are going to feel the atmosphere, sitting in the peanut gallery and the jury, and the old reporters’ gallery. The judge will be cast from the audience, they get the full bit, and act like they are Richard Roxburgh.”
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The story marks a moment when crime became entertainment. The trial was closely followed by the city’s newspapers, with sales soaring on the back of every salacious revelation. Beiger became as well known locally as Marilyn Monroe.
Says Ansell: “This story in particular seems to nudge and connect Sydney’s showbiz industry in a wickedly charismatic way: the showgirl from the Latin Quarter (Arthur Griffith’s infamous date) and Chequers Nightclub (run by promoters Sammy Lee, Abe Saffron and Dennis Wong).
“Personally, I love the anecdote about the witness who came in court – a spiritual healer from Palm Beach!”
In the drama, Beiger gives her account of how the gun she had brought from home accidentally discharged during a struggle.
She would claim she did not hear the gun go off but knew something dreadful must have happened. Griffith died at the scene from a gunshot wound to his head.
Beiger was arrested and locked up in Long Bay Gaol, from where she gave interviews, including a lengthy one that sparked a week-long series in Truth.
The story was fleshed out for the festival by Guardian journalist Melanie Tait, with Harbridge shaping the script.
“It will be a mix between the court in the present time and flashbacks to the event that took place at Chequers,” Harbridge says. “It was the real beating heart of the CBD then because you could drink at all hours. It was the only place in Sydney to get alcohol after 6pm if you called ahead and booked a table.
Sheridan Harbridge directs the extended season of A Model Murder. Credit: Kate Geraghty
“What amazes me about this story is not the titillating things – that she was a model and she shoots her lover dead.
“There is tawdry glamour to it, but it’s the fact that the whole city and jury wanted her to get off, and she was found innocent even though she said she did it, and she shot him in the face.
“I want to unpick why an entire city wanted her to get off and [why] we thought we should let that crime go.”
A Model Murder runs from January 4 to 25 at the Darlinghurst Law Courts.