Top Girl

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A turning point comes when Danielle is arrested and – with the help of a probation officer – she begins to question whether she really is ‘top girl’ after all. But after five years deep in the high-earning street hustle, can she really leave it all behind? Even while earning big money doing her thing, she frittered it on designer accessories and hair extensions. I wonder that she didn’t think to save a big wedge to get herself a good lawyer and fight for her parental rights. She clearly loves her son. Very strange. I’m sure she has her reasons - I just don’t understand them. This scared the s**t out of me, I’m not gonna lie. You hear “stabbing in London”, “shooting possibly gang related” on the news, never knowing why, but this gives you an insight into the murky world that normally we would know nothing about. There is also commentary on Margaret Thatcher, then prime minister, who celebrated personal achievement and believed in free-market capitalism ( Thatcherism). Marlene, the tough career woman, is portrayed as soulless, exploiting other women and suppressing her own caring side in the cause of success. The play argues against the style of feminism that simply turns women into new patriarchs and argues for a feminism in which caring for the weak and downtrodden is more prominent. The play questions whether it is possible for women in society to combine a successful career with a thriving family life. We live in a housing association estate, due to the influx of people from England, amongst other countries, the price of living has been pushed so high that many of us born in this town, cannot afford to buy a house here. We have , in effect, been ghettoised and isolated to areas which others-read middles class people and above-see as 'no go' places to visit. My children have been the 'token poor kids' for parents in the school yard, teachers who pay little to no attention to those who are living in an area of socio-economic deprivation, and you can see how easily you become angry at the stereotypes forced upon you because of your post code. You live there, you must be like this. Thankfully, me and my other half are fiercely protective of our girls and have no issues standing up for what they deserve. I have lost count of the times my children have sat outside the head master's office listening to me raging about the latest outrageous happening. And I would do it all over again!

The play was premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London on 28 August 1982. It was directed by Max Stafford-Clark, the Royal Court's artistic director, who premiered several of Churchill's plays. The cast was Selina Cadell, Lindsay Duncan, Deborah Findlay, Carole Hayman, Lesley Manville, Gwen Taylor and Lou Wakefield. [5] What a brave lady she is for giving us an insight into the daily life of drugs, the power people have over others the violence they dish out and the strength of Danielle to overcome her ordeal and write a very strong story. In her interview with Win, Louise expresses frustration over the unfair sacrifices she has had to make and the double standards that she has endured to stay in good standing at her company for over 2 decades. The character of Louise represents hidden patriarchal structures that modern women still face in the workplace. Although Louise has the same human and spiritual rights as her male counterparts (unlike Joan or Nijo), she is highly aware that society views her as inferior to the men around her. Instead of accepting it, though, she is finally ready to do something about it, even though Win reminds her how difficult it will be for an older woman to get a new job. Louise is a contrast to Marlene - and shows that even though the feminist movement had made significant advances by the 1970s, gender equality was still a long way off.

Billington, Michael (28 March 2016). "My bruising love affair with the Royal Court". The Guardian . Retrieved 10 August 2021. Hard-hitting, addictive, and thought-provoking, I 100% agree with the publishers when they said: "This book should be on the National Curriculum." It definitely needs to be studied by the younger generation, as Danielle's brutal honesty leaves nothing to the imagination. Despite the dark side to this tale, there is also a lighter side, where Danielle spreads the message that no matter what mistakes are made, there is always a way out, and there can be sunshine after the rain. D' gives a true insight into what life as a gang member/drug dealer is like and she tells it in her own words.

This is the true-life account of Danielle Marin, "a smart grammar school student turned county line drug dealer." Hard-hitting, addictive, and thought-provoking, I 100% agree with the publishers when they said: "This book should be on the National Curriculum." It definitely needs to be studied by the younger generation, as Danielle's brutal honesty leaves nothing to the imagination. Despite the dark side to this tale, there is also a lighter side, where Danielle spreads the message that no matter what mistakes are made, there is always a way out, and there can be sunshine after the rain.

And then of course, she gets pregnant and her and the guy she’s just started seeing are ‘hella’ thrilled to become parents, at 17 with no job or secure place to live. Irresponsible. I couldn’t help thinking, though, for all her tough girl posturing and ‘I can take care of myself’ vibes, she was still totally dependent on men. It was sad. Although towards the end of the book she seems to have realised that. She was a very young woman after all……. This book gripped me from the get go, partially because the story was so interesting, and also because the narrator was excellent. She's actually one of the best narrators I've ever listened to and would happily listen to again. Her voice was perfect for the story.

Well, this was certainly a rollercoaster of emotions. The story was gritty and harrowing. I had to remind myself at times that I wasn’t reading fiction. This was real. And now, perhaps, she has that chance with her son. She is helping others now who have found themselves in the same situation. This statement is effectively Marlene’s rallying cry, and she delivers it during her argument with Joyce over politics in 1970s Britain. Marlene believes in the conservative party’s emphasis on personal responsibility and hard work, as well as the idea that class does not truly exist as a barrier to self-advancement. Her position mirrors the public statement delivered by Margaret Thatcher that only “individuals and their families” exist, not class. It also shows that Marlene fully embraces the ideology of late capitalism.Joyce is Marlene’s sister and Angie’s adoptive mother. Whereas Marlene is ambitious, self-serving, and cosmopolitan, Joyce is humble, giving, and rooted firmly in her small, working-class hometown. Joyce is not by any means… Shona’s interview with Nell starts off well, but eventually collapses when Nell realizes that Shona’s eagerness and toughness are a façade, and that she has fabricated her entire resume. At first, Nell finds Shona’s individuality and spunk appealing, even suggesting she might be able to work for Top Girls. However, Shona’s ridiculous story of driving a Porsche around the country and staying at luxurious hotels on the company’s expense account reveal she knows nothing about the day-to-day life of professionals. Shona represents another female archetype, just like the other women who come to Top Girls for interviews. She does not have a grasp on reality, nor does she understand that she will have to work very hard to achieve the kind of life she dreams about. She is clearly sheltered and clueless - the antithesis of Nell and the other "tough birds" who work at Top Girls. Nell's dismissal of Shona, however, shows how Marlene and her coworkers are highly individualistic and unwilling to help a misguided young girl - because helping her would not do anything to advance their own careers. Tycer, Alicia (2008). Caryl Churchill's Top Girls. London, New York: Continuum Modern Theatre Guides. pp.1–23. ISBN 9780826495563. Gritty, explosive and darkly emotional, this factual true crime memoir needs as much publicity as it can, to raise awareness of ‘gang’ life and drug crime and I’d happily recommend to any reader who isn’t easily upset or offended. a b "From Oedipus to The History Boys: Michael Billington's 101 greatest plays". The Guardian. 2 September 2015 . Retrieved 15 October 2020.

Joyce’s sixteen-year-old adoptive daughter Angie is odd, quiet, and stunted. She is a lonely girl, whose only friend, Kit, is four years younger than her. Angie expresses a keen desire to kill her… The trues life story of Danielle Marin, a school kid in London who at the age of 12 is groomed and becomes involved in drug dealing and "gangs". years and up should be offered this book to read as it can show how easily they can be pulled into this world by a few kind words and treats. a b "50 Greatest Plays of the Past 100 Years". Entertainment Weekly. 12 July 2013 . Retrieved 15 October 2020. Top Girls is listed as one of the 100 “best and most influential plays” [21] performed in Britain from 1945 – 2010The play ends with Angie calling for her Mum towards Marlene. It is unclear how much Angie heard of Joyce and Marlene's argument. I genuinely think that this book should be available in comprehensive schools up and down the country. A production ran at the Watford Palace Theatre November 2–18, 2006 before transferring to the Greenwich Theatre November 21–25, 2006. The cast included Rachel Sanders, Zoe Aldrich, Elaine Claxton, Sara Houghton, Emma Pallant, Claire Redcliffe and Hayley Jayne Standing. Its not pretty, its very disturbing, there really are some awful scenes in this(I call them scenes but this is real life!). It was hard not to empathize with Danielle. She came across as both ruthless(she admits being in it for the money)but also incredibly fragile and traumatized. The fact that she led the lifestyle she did and came out the other side while carrying all that emotional baggage shows an incredibly strong woman, a real survivor.