John Wood and Julie Nihill reunite for Bakersfield Mist

Bakersfield Mist, set in a Californian trailer park, is the true story of unemployed bartender Maude (Julie Nihill), who rescues discarded artworks from trash piles and op shops and fills her caravan with them.

One day she buys a canvas from a second-hand shop for a couple of dollars and realises it might be an extremely valuable Jackson Pollock. So world-class art expert Lionel Percy (John Wood, left with Nihill) flies in from New York to take a look, but discovers way more than he was expecting.

The play, written by Stephen Sachs, uses the painting’s story as a way to examine themes of authenticity, both in terms of art and the people in our lives.

Jointly produced by the Tasmanian Theatre Company, Straitjacket Productions and the Karralyka Theatre,

Bakersfield Mist is set entirely in and around Maude’s caravan, with an innovative set designed by Jill Munro and constructed by Tasmanian set-builder John Bowling.

“The set is a slightly abstracted concept of a caravan, showing both the interior and exterior at the same time,” director Lucy Freeman says.

“It’s quite beautiful. The set itself is like an art installation, filled with the art Maude has collected from dumpsters, with some great lighting from lamps and in through the windows, it is just so detailed, I feel like I could sit and stare at it for hours.”

Wood’s 70th birthday party and a classic Australian TV series combined to provide the perfect cast for the first Australian production of the play.

Wood – who has a close friendship and natural chemistry with Nihill after working together for many years on Australian TV series Blue Heelers – was on board early, but they were still searching for a female co-star.

“We still hadn’t decided on the female casting when John had his 70th birthday party. I was there and so was Julie Nihill, who is a good friend of John’s,” Freeman says.

“I started chatting to her and suddenly it occurred to me: ‘Ooooh, this could be good’.”

Bakersfield Mist, Theatre Royal, Hobart, Friday, September 8, and Saturday, September 9, 7.30pm each night. Tickets range from $30 (children) to $75 (premium). For information and bookings, visit theatreroyal.com.au