| 1 |
WHAT PRICE GLORY Review by: Beth M, Jun 29, 2008 |
“SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS:” CARYL CHURCHILL’S TOP GIRLS
By Beth Mandelbaum
Top Girls is one of the most challenging, and perhaps even brilliant, plays that I have seen in a very long time. And this ensemble piece offers extraordinary acting. I found that there was much that I could relate to, and more importantly, to react to. It is a play that gave me much to think about. There are endless and fascinating plot details but I will try ... read more to highlight ones that seem that most relevant to the themes of the show. Part of what makes Top Girls so difficult is that the play itself is quite complex, and has been written in a non-linear fashion, in which scenes do not follow a chronological order but go in and out of time. And the three acts that comprise the play have different styles and structure. For example, act one is a fantasy sequence while the second and third acts are portrayed quite realistically. And the action in act three takes place prior to that in act two.
In the amazingly fantastic and surreal dinner part which comprises act one, an ultra high powered, success driven female business executive, Marlene, has invited five extremely powerful and influential women from different historical periods and cultures, who were famous in their own lifetimes, to celebrate her triumphal promotion, over a man, to head the rather ironically and symbolically named Top Girls Employment Agency.
This crucial scene is difficult to understand, in part because of some of the accents, but to a far greater extent, because the woman continually talk over each other, as if everyone is competing for the floor .They seem to lack compassion for each other, don’t really appear to be listening to each other, or making genuine connections. This would seem to be a reflection of the kind of fierce individualism that has characterized a brand of the feminist perspective that has been challenged and critiqued by some, including the playwright. One can see that the so-called “me” generation began millennia before the 1980’s, the period in which Top Girls is set. This is the time of Ronald Reagan here, and Margaret Thatcher in England, where the play was written.
Because many of the themes brought out in act one foreshadow those of the remaining acts, it is also difficult to fully understand act one, since one should really know what is coming next. And as a result, it would seem to be the playwright’s intention to create a sense of ambiguity.
All of these woman experienced significant loss and had made some incredible personal sacrifices to achieve their status. And something that struck me was, when most of the women tell the stories of their lives and lost loves, there is a curious emphasis on their children being taken away from them, in one form or another, certainly an epitome of personal sacrifice, a theme which becomes extremely relevant for the play’s later scenes. When suddenly, in the middle of all of the conversations, Marlene cries out, “So why are we all so unhappy?” she offers a perhaps not to so subtle hint of what is to come.
One of the scenes in the second act takes place at The Top Girls Employment Agency, when Marlene has just received the promotion and is about to move into her own and, as she tells us, a much nicer office, displacing a man who had also vied for the top position. The values espoused by the women working at the agency struck me as rather frightening. We see a group of rather cold, detached, dress for success-ers, with a “you’re not my problem” attitude. Watching them interview some of their “victims,” and the way they humiliated and demeaned some of them, was quite chilling. These Top Girls exhibit a disdain for those who they consider “beneath” them, or who do not have the cool savvy manner that they, as interviewers, exhibit. I must say that it made me cringe a bit because I could identify, from some past experiences, with some of these jo |
|
|
| Acting: |
 |
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Alone
|
Recommended for:
Seniors, Adults
|
|
|
|
|
| 2 |
Much Ado About Nothing Review by: Disappointed, Jun 21, 2008 |
A patron of MTC for several years now, I've seen some wonderful productions at the Biltmore, most notably the recent Come Back Little Sheeba, which simply brought me to tears. This production, however, Top Girls, left me wondering why I joined. it is a disjointed production with an opening act that is nothing more than a cacophony of historical figures at a modern restaurant - all talking at once, one with a horrible Scottish accent, and one ... read more character rambling on in Latin. What you can make out of the dialogue is quickly lost as they all talk at once.
I stayed to endure the final two acts only out of some horrible curiosity.
Perhaps I'm not the sophisticated theatre-goer, or perhaps despite my sense that I am an intelligent soul, there is a community of fans that made sense of this. Much ado about nothing? I sadly think o.
With all that is on the Great White Way - I would not put this on my list. |
|
|
My recommendation:
Don't go
|
| Acting: |
 |
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
 |
I saw this show with:
Alone
|
|
|
|
|
| 3 |
A very bad show, don't go! Review by: Mimi, May 26, 2008 |
| I wish I read the reviews listed here before going to NYC, this is SUCH A BAD PLAY, we can't understand what the actresses were saying, NOBODY seems to understand! We regret flying all the way from Seattle to NY and waste our time on such a show. |
|
|
My recommendation:
Don't go
|
| Acting: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
|
|
|
|
| 4 |
Review by: BroadwayJ, May 11, 2008 |
Save yourself -- see something else!!!!!!
I did my homework and knew what the play was about - but it was just awful -- hard to hear and understand and in Act 1 when Marlene meets famous women from history - you'll be lost unless you read the play and honestly it's not worth the time and effort it will take to see this play. There are a lot of good plays out there - skip this one.
Broadway J |
|
|
My recommendation:
Don't go
|
| Acting: |
|
| Production: |
 |
| Story: |
|
|
|
|
|
| 5 |
Don't Bother Review by: Terry, May 7, 2008 |
Went to opening night, what a mess is right! Very hard to understand the accents, the sound was terrible, they talk over each other in the first act, stayed for the 2nd and then left.
Can't wait for the reviews in the morning, won't be surprised if they are harsh.
Things that make you go................!!! |
|
|
My recommendation:
Don't go
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Alone
|
Recommended for:
Adults
|
|
|
|
|
| 6 |
Bring a script or you won't know WHAT they're saying! Review by: ENZI, May 2, 2008 |
| Marisa Tomei is a remarkable actress of many talents. Doing accents and making herself heard in a large theatre are-sadly- not among these. Caryl Churchill has written some of my favorite plays and this is one of her most famous. I can only wonder why. I said to other theatre goers that I didn't think that this play could even open. They assured me that it would, had to in fact, because MTC is a subscription theatre. This can only be a ... read more good way to lose subscribers! I saw a better play improvised in the lobby at intermission between a group of angry middleaged and elderly woman and the theatre manager who kept insisting that they could understand the script if they tried. Sad. |
|
|
My recommendation:
Don't go
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
|
|
| 7 |
Review by: disappointed, Apr 28, 2008 |
| Awful, awful, awful. The dialogue was confusing, especially with the actors talking over each other. I too feel like I was duped...it was not what I expected and I gladly left after the first act. |
|
|
My recommendation:
Don't go
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
|
|
| 8 |
Top Girls Review by: Tom, Apr 28, 2008 |
"Top Girls" is a revival of a Caryl Churchill play from 1982, focusing on feminist issues. The play itself raises interesting issues and offers several insights (at least from a male perspective) on the challenges facing women in a patriarchy. The cast is excellent, including one of my favorites, Martha Plimpton, but the theater is unfortunately much too large for such an intimate play. On top of this, the sound is awful. Combine this with the ... read more fact that many of the characters (at least in act one) speak in accents, and "Top Girls" is almost incomprehensible -- but not for the usual reasons.
by Tom Bestor |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 9 |
No way Review by: sammy1, Apr 27, 2008 |
| I was fortunate....I left after the first act....mny wife endured two acts and then left. I am uncertain what led the creative team of MTC to present this disaster but I'll re-think signing up as a subscriber again.... |
|
|
My recommendation:
Don't go
|
| Acting: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
|
|
| 10 |
I don't mean to be be so harsh Review by: , Apr 21, 2008 |
| I don't mean to be be so harsh, but it was poorly written. One scene did not tie into the next, I still can't figure out what the employment agency had to do with the first scene, and then to end with a child being given to her sister to raise! All disjointed, long conversations going nowhere, what a disappointment. I am surprised this is still playing. Most of the audience disappreared during intermission, and I couldn't blame them. |
|
|
My recommendation:
Don't go
|
| Acting: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
|
|
| 11 |
I really enjoyed this!!! Review by: joanf, Apr 20, 2008 |
| I really enjoyed this play! It's not conventional, but you don't need to an advanced degree to appreciate it. I wish I'd know that it was a revival and done a little reading beforehand because it's something different. The performances are wonderful... I was in the 1st row and it was such a gift to have these actor's perform virtually in my lap. It's a terrific show. |
|
|
My recommendation:
must see!
|
| Acting: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Alone
|
Recommended for:
Seniors, Tourists, Adults
|
|
|
|
|
| 12 |
don't waste your time Review by: eri_ny, Apr 20, 2008 |
| Though the actors are top notch - I wonder why they chose to waste their talent on this play. Boring, incomprehensible, and dated - we left after the second act (and should've walked out earlier). This play may work for the cognocenti in a (very small) theatre - but broadway it aint. |
|
|
My recommendation:
Don't go
|
| Acting: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
|
|
| 13 |
Very confusing play, not worth going. Review by: the man, Apr 17, 2008 |
| I agree with the last reviewer. The play was very confusing and there did not seem to be any continuity between one act and the other. My three friends and I all left at the intermission, although the first act was much longer than the second act. |
|
|
My recommendation:
Don't go
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Large Group
|
|
|
|
|
| 14 |
Reason NOT to Subscribe Review by: RALPHIE, Apr 16, 2008 |
No excuse for this mess. It was a boring and condescending show that belts its nitwit politics at the audience (on our dime) with no clue in advertising that would be the theme. Not even seeing Marisa Tomei and Martha Plinpton up close could spare the pain.
If these are TOP GIRLS, I might give up girls altogether. But wait, get a grip, man. It's only a play, a bad play...
|
|
|
My recommendation:
Don't go
|
| Acting: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
|
|
| 15 |
CONFUSING GIRLS Review by: C, Apr 16, 2008 |
| I attended the 1st preview of this show on april 15th - bad enough it was tax day - but I was never so confused in my life - everyone leaving the theatre at the end of the show was like what did we just see?? - play is very confusing - and although the acting performances were good -( Marisa Tomei does a great scottish accent) the play gets more confusing as the actresses play more than 1 role - don't know what else to say still confused |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|