Ad Astra's staging of Caryl Churchill's “Top Girls” grounds the painful journeys that accompany corporate success for women and the pursuit of personal and professional fulfilment in a male-dominated world. With an ensemble and crew comprising feminine-identifying creatives, this production powerfully conveys Churchill's message by raising timeless questions that resonate across centuries.

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Taking place in the early 1980s, "Top Girls" centres around Marlene (Aurélie Roque), a remarkably successful career woman working at a London employment agency. The opening scene celebrates Marlene's recent promotion with an infamous dinner party. As the play unfolds, the intersection of Marlene’s personal and professional life exposes the delicate balance between the allure of success and the challenges of womanhood in a perilous society.

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Mikayla Hosking's direction, supported by Samara Louise, nurtures each scene with detailed realism, allowing the characters to work, move, and live seamlessly within the narrative. In the opening scene, a surreal gathering of historical and fictional women share dinner, laughter, and emotional exchanges. The costuming from Xanthe Jones captures the array of characters with detachable armour, multifaceted hats and layers, each growing more extravagant as more characters appear. Churchill's dialogue is alive and working beautifully as the characters' interactions constantly overlap, layering rich accents and histories of female voices. Blocking and realistic stage business remain strong throughout the production as characters are constantly engaged in action. Whether it's a cigarette to smoke, paper to file or wine to drink, these women are constantly doing which successfully translates themes of work and ambition. A truely engaging watch. 

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Aurélie Roque bought nuance, wit and vulnerability to her portrayal of Marlene. I was drawn to Roque’s expressions of sarcasm and frustration; their eyes and body language shifts poignantly reveal the truths of Marlene’s sacrifices. As each scene unfolded, I discovered an increasing desire to delve deeper into Marlene's character and commend Roque on infusing the role with such captivation.

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Natasha McDonald embodied humour, sincerity and individuality across their multiple roles. McDonald’s portrayal of Joyce complemented Roque’s performance, with both actors delivering powerful and distinct portrayals. In the final scenes, Roque and McDonald ground an authentic connection, effectively serving the journeys of the women. A notable moment of tension spikes as Marlene tells Joyce she loves her, while her sister disappears in the darkness with silence. 

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Chelsea Doran delivered a stand out performance as Angie. Doran's perception of Angie surpasses that of a mere troubled daughter, allowing them to deliver and detailed and convincing performance. The departure of cliche characterisation allowed Angie's feelings of disconnect, naivety, and admiration for her mother, to resonate with the experience of being a young woman and forged a connection to my experiences of being in my early 20's. 

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The introduction of Angie and their best friend, Kit, brought a unique dynamic as Kit appears as more mature (possibly even older) than Angie. This was an interesting perspective that could have had more clarity in characterisation choices. Nonetheless, Emmy Moore portrayed Kit with believability and the dark relationship of the girls is an engaging watch.

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The ensemble, featuring Jazz Zhao, Anastasia Benham, and Brigitte Freeme, bring depth to each mulitple role highlighting the relentless pursuit of success that women face in a corporate and patriarchal world. 

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Ad Astra's "Top Girls" is a compelling exploration of the multifaceted lives of women, delivering a powerful and relevant theatrical experience.

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"Top Girls" performs until Saturday, 12 August 2023 at Ad Astra.  Click here for tickets and more information.