Top Girls
May 1993
Written by Caryl Churchill.
Directed by Helen Ayres, Julian Chaloner.
Produced by Helen Ayres.
About This Production
This play was repeated for 'A' level students at Torquay Technical College when Debbie Plummer took the parts of Patient Griselda and Nell.
Cast
- Marlene
- Sue Burgess
- Isabella Bird
- Jane Tuson
- Lady Nijo
- Val Meek
- Dull Gret
- Jo Lumber
- Pope Joan
- Carol Davies
- Patient Griselda
- Rosemary Chaloner
- Waitress
- Isabel Coulton
- Joyce
- Jane Tuson
- Mrs Kidd
- Jane Tuson
- Win
- Val Meek
- Angie
- Jo Lumber
- Nell
- Rosemary Chaloner
- Louise
- Carol Davies
- Kit
- Isabel Coulton
- Shona
- Isabel Coulton
- Jeanine
- Debbie Plummer
Production Team
- Stage Manager
- Sandy Baines
- Deputy Stage Manager
- Doreen Pooley
- Assistant Stage Manager
- Richard Hoare, Nick Wain
- Set Designer
- Helen Ayres, Julian Chaloner
- Backcloth
- Chris Hall
- Lighting
- Ray Burgess, Daniel Male
- Sound
- Jonathon Grant
- Wardrobe
- Maggie Taylor
- Make-up
- Debbie Plummer, Sue Michelmore (as Sue Mitchelmore)
- Hairdresser
- Gill Evans
- Front of House
- Cathie Pannell
- Publicity
- Helen Ayres, Veronica Brown
- Armourer
- Paul Wonnacott
- Photographer
- John Taylor
- Sound Mixing
- Noel Goodey
- Sound Archive
- Gary Wonnacott, Simon Fox
- Box Office
- Jackie Lugger
Awards
Programme
Gallery
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- The Dinner Party: Women both real and fictional from the past celebrate Marlene’s promotion to Managing Director of the Top Girls Employment Agency. Clockwise from top: Carol Davies as Pope Joan, Sue Burgess as Marlene, Val Meek as Lady Nijo, Jane Tuson as Isabella Bird, Jo Lumber as Dull Gret, and Rosemary Chaloner as Patient Griselda in rehearsals for the SBADS 1993 production of Top Girls.
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- Patient Griselda drinks a toast to the top girls at the dinner party in rehearsals for the SBADS 1993 production of Top Girls.
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- Isabella amuses Marlene and Lady Nijo with tales of her travels abroad in rehearsals for the SBADS 1993 production of Top Girls.
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- Dull Gret tells the story of her fearsome fight with devils in rehearsals for the SBADS 1993 production of Top Girls.
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- Isabella, Gret and Patient Griselda abandon themselves to a tipsy dance at the end of the dinner party in rehearsals for the SBADS 1993 production of Top Girls.
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- The Employment Agency: Wolf-whistles and congratulations from Win (Val Meek) and Nell (Rosemary Chaloner) greet Marlene, the new Managing Director of Top Girls in rehearsals for the SBADS 1993 production of Top Girls.
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- Marlene interviews Jeanine (Debbie Plummer) who wants a top secretarial job in rehearsals for the SBADS 1993 production of Top Girls.
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- Joyce’s Back Yard: Kit (Isabel Coulton) and Angie (Jo Lumber) hide in the shed for some private girl-talk in rehearsals for the SBADS 1993 production of Top Girls.
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- Joyce (Jane Tuson) remonstrates with an angry Angie, her supposed daughter but really her niece. Watched by a wary Kit, Angie thinks of murdering her mother who she now believes is Auntie Marlene. From rehearsals for the SBADS 1993 production of Top Girls.
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- The Agency Again: Nell interviews the confident Shona (Isabel Coulton) who’s looking for a real top job in rehearsals for the SBADS 1993 production of Top Girls.
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- While Win takes on the very experienced Louise (Carol Davies) who wants an even better position than the good but unappreciated one she’s just left in rehearsals for the SBADS 1993 production of Top Girls.
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- Mrs Kidd (Jane Tuson) pleads with Marlene to give up her position as Manager of Top Girls in favour of Mr Kiddo. Marlene sends her off with a flea in her ear – much to delight of Angie, who has come up to London in the hope of staying permanently. from rehearsals for the SBADS 1993 production of Top Girls.
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- Joyce’s Kitchen – One Year Earlier: Marlene, on one of her rare visits, brings presents for her rejected daughter Angie – before she and her sister Joyce begin the recriminations ‘that end in one almighty row. From rehearsals for the SBADS 1993 production of Top Girls.
