Top Girls Auditions

Today I met with Kirstie, the director for Top Girls. It was the auditions for the play which was really interesting to watch. The seven girls had already been selected and were auditioning to be cast. 


Kirstie wanted them to improvise keeping it along the lines of the play but not faffing around with scripts as the play, particularly the first act, is very physical. I watched them act out interviews; one high powered business woman interviewing a stereotype from the list; married woman, older woman and young woman with no experience as in the play. And the restaurant scene. It was interesting to see this and I was visualising designs for both set and costume as they presented.
  
We all discussed the play together. From this I got others opinions on the play and its characters adding to each character analysis I'd already done, which was very useful. 


We discussed how Marlene is the powerful central character, who in Act one sits back to hear others stories, whereas in the other scenes she is very me me me. 
Isabella Bird is the Scottish traveller who seems to relate to Marlene, as does Lady Nijo who is obsessed with her clothes and silks. Dull Gret is the character who looks most out of place in a restaurant and surrounded by princess' and a Pope. Pope Joan its clear is not used to being referred to as a woman, only a man. Griselda is the source of the characters annoyance, not only because of her late arrival but the fact she appears to them as weak for obeying her husband when the rest fought back. The waitress is the silent character the 'non Top Girl'. Angie is the struggling child, suffering from autism, she isn't expected to 'make it' as there is no support for struggling children in the 80's. Nell is the next Marlene the more powerful one out of her and Win. 


We then discussed how Isabella, Joyce and Mrs Kidd are played by the same actress and why. The link being Isabella had a sister and Joyce is Marlene's sister, and that they have all been through hard times; through family or husbands.
Lady Nijo and Win are powerful and gracious women, fighting back over men.
Dull Gret and Angie are the outcasts, they don't fit in to their surroundings whether it is the office or the restaurant.
Pope Joan and Louise both class themselves as men.
Griselda, Nell and Jeanine all work or live under someone else's power whether it is a husband or a boss.
Finally the Waitress, Kit and Shona are the young inexperienced characters who are over looked and bullied; Kit is bullied by Angie, Shona by Nell and the Waitress by all in act 1.


Kirstie then discussed aspects of the design she would like to include, such as a round table for the restaurant scene, all the characters on stage as many times as possible whether they can be worked into the background? quick scene changes, and décor to set the scene, whether this include flying things in or not?she also didn't want any of the extreme 80's fashions such as the shoulder pads because that was more late 80's. She also mentioned how it was vital that the play be set in the late 70's early 80's because everything the women achieve has to feel new as it would have been at the time. Her approach towards the costume was that the characters in Act 1 should all appear as they were in their prime; including full regalia. All the costumes however have to be easy to move in, whether this means Isabella is not actually wearing a corset depends.  


I left the meeting with lots to think about and research. 
ideas ideas ideas.............