Top Girls

by Churchill, Caryl; Naismith, Bill; Worrall, Non

• ISBN13: 9781408106037
• ISBN10: 1408106035
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-07-15
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Methuen Drama

Summary

Set in the early Thatcher years,Top Girlsis a serminal play of the modern theatre, revealing a world of women's experience at a pivotal moment in British history. Told by an eclectic group of historical and modern characters in a continuous conversation across ages and generations,Top Girlswas hailed byThe Guardianas "the best British play ever by a woman dramatist."Commentary and notes by Bill Naismith and Nick Worrall Caryl Churchillhas written for the stage, television and radio. Her acclaimed body of work includesThree More Sleepless Nights,Top Girls,Fen;Mouthful of Birds,Serious Money,The Skriker,Blue/HeartandFar Away in Autumn. Commentary and notes byBill NaismithandNick Worrall.Set in the early Thatcher years,Top Girlsis a serminal play of the modern theatre, revealing a world of women's experience at a pivotal moment in British history. Told by an eclectic group of historical and modern characters in a continuous conversation across ages and generations,Top Girlswas hailed byThe Guardianas "the best British play ever by a woman dramatist."Commentary and notes by Bill Naismith and Nick Worrall "Top Girlshas a combination of directness and complexity which keeps you both emotionally and intellectually alert. You can smell life and at the same time feel locked in an argument with an agile and passionate mind."--The Sunday Times(London) "Ms. Churchill is one of the best writers...her play is brilliantly conceived with considerable wit to illuminate the underlying deep human seriousness of her theme."--The Spectator "A dramatist who must surely be rated among the half-dozen best now writing a playwright of genuine audacity and assurance, able to use her considerable wit and intelligence in ways at once unusual, resonant and dramatically riveting."--The New Statesman

Author Biography

Caryl Churchill has written for the stage, television and radio. Her acclaimed body of work includes Three More Sleepless Nights (1980); Top Girls (1982); Fen (1983); Mouthful of Birds (1986); Serious Money (1989); The Skriker (1984); Blue/Heart (1998) and Far Away in Autumn (2000).

 

Commentary and notes by Bill Naismith and Nick Worrall.

Table of Contents

Caryl Churchill
Synopsis
Commentary
What Kind of Play?
The Play World - A World of Women
Themes and Context
The New Woman
Act One
Women and Work
Act Two
Women and Politics
Act Three
Language
Structure
The Play in Performance - How Many Actors?
Further Reading
Top Girls
Act One	p. 1
Act Two	p. 30
Act Three	p. 67
Notes	p. 88
Questions for Further Study	p. 100
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.