Top Girls by Caryl Churchill

Isabella Bird - Anna Calder-Marshall
Janine - Natalie Cassidy
Louise - Jan Chappell
Marlene - Monica Dolan
Dulle Griet - Noma Dumezweni
Rosanne Kidd - Tricia Kelly
Shoana - Petra Letang
Nell - Natasha Little
Pope Joan - Anna Maxwell Martin
Kit - Azuka Oforka
Lady Nijo - Helene Patarot
Angie - Michelle Terry
Joyce - Nicola Walker
Patient Griselda - Jodie Whittaker
Winn - Susannah Wise

I forgot to put the link in my last 'Readings' post so here it is !

Once again an incredible afternoon. This was so popular that they opened up the circle and even the upper circle. Some tickets had been allocated twice and it was the kind of chaos that made it fun.

Act one had all the historical characters getting pissed with Marlene and acts two and three showed Marlene, her sister and her daughter who was played wonderfully by Michelle Terry.

Monica Dolan's performance was pitch perfect and she was not put off by the weakest member of the cast who shall remain nameless. In fact, there WAS only one weak member but she was very, very weak and it really pulled down an incredibly inventive piece of writing. Noma was so perfectly understated as the erm......two dimensional character at this table of huge personalities. It was hilarious. I loved Nicola Walker's country accent & spotted socks and the fact that she got a bit tangled up when she came on stage - JUST like Ruth. Jodie was angelic Anna Calder Marshall was intoxicating and Anna Maxwell Martin was that wonderful combo of sweet and tough.

I was not expecting much from Natalie Cassidy but she did a brilliant job and was as good a match for the rest of the cast........more than I can say for some of the soapers I saw earlier in the week.

Better keep an eye on the clock - I have to get back to the theatre for 9:30!