top girls

by caryl churchill

9 july – 3 august 2013

“Anyone can do anything if they’ve got what it takes.”

Marlene has scored the big promotion at work, beating a man to the position of Managing Director. It’s just reward for years of hard grind at the Top Girls Employment Agency. She’s escaped her working-class past. She’s made it!

But a difficult relationship with her older sister Joyce and the consequences of a desperate choice made 16 years’ ago overshadow her success.

Written in part as a response to the hard-line economic and social policies of Margaret Thatcher, thirty years on TOP GIRLS remains terrifyingly topical: for women to survive and flourish in a career often demands significant personal sacrifices, but at what cost?

This bold and ingenious work offers a startlingly honest portrayal of what it means to be a woman in a male-dominated world.

CREATIVE TEAM

Director Alice Livingstone
Assistant Director/Dramaturg Fiona Hallenan-Barker
Set & Costume Designer Gina Rose Drew
Lighting Designer Sara Swersky
Sound Designer Ashley Walker
Make-up Designer Tahlia Tkalec
Dialect Coach Emma Louise
Production Manager Rosane McNamara
Stage Manager Jo Jewitt
Lighting/Sound Operator Johannes Swaton

CAST

Sarah Aubrey, Claudia Barrie, Julia Billington, Maeve MacGregor, Ainslie McGlynn, Bishanyia Vincent, Cheryl Ward

TIMES

Previews Tue 9 & Wed 10 Jul 7:30pm
Wed – Sat 7:30pm, Sun 5pm
Final performance, Sat 3 Aug, 5pm

Top Girls runs for approx 2hrs & 40mins with 2 short intervals

TICKETS

Full $32 | Concession $27 l Groups (10+) $27 | Previews $17 l Student Rush $17 l Cheap Wednesdays $17

”Churchill’s tour de force … feels fresh and relevant [and] this production does it great justice … the production’s most striking feature is the quality and consistency of its performances” Jason Blake, SMH

“Watching this was a great pleasure … more than worth catching. Recommended.” Kevin Jackson Theatre Diary

★★★★ “Immensely fun … this production does ample justice to Churchill’s mix of formal innovation, gut-churning drama, biting comedy and nuanced political discourse” Time Out

“A hard-hitting, fast-paced production … intuitive director and very talented cast bring Churchill’s characters to vivid life” Stage Whispers

“The director makes every second count and every line is meaningful. The actors cherish every word and nothing is left to waste. One gets lost in the events unfolding, enthralled in all the action, hungering to see what is about to happen next” Suzy Wrong

“The careful dedication to the dialogue and timing and above all the engaging naturalism and warmth of the characters from the ensemble are, simply put: a joy to behold” 5thWall

“An excellent production – lucid, pointed, and incisive … abetted by some truly inspired performances. This is definitely a show you should go and see” Theatre From the Back Seat

“A dream cast: names and faces that mightn’t be as familiar as some, but which are as good as any and better than many … it’s the text and its vital exposition, thanks to uniformly surpassing performances and mature, sure-footed direction that set this production apart.” Brad Syke

“The performances are all wonderful [and] everyone has a standout moment” SX

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