“Top Girls,” written in 1982 by Caryl Churchill, explores what it means for a woman to be successful. The play investigates themes of gender identity, the politics of the working class, and women’s roles in society. 

Set in 1979, the play follows Marlene — played by Victoria Pekel ’25 — who is an ambitious career woman who was recently promoted to be the head of an employment agency. In the first of three acts, Marlene hosts a fantastical dinner party featuring guests from history, paintings and literature in celebration of her accomplishment. 

“It’s an impossible dinner party in many ways,” said Clementine Rice ’25, the director of the sold-out play.

“Top Girls” serves as Rice’s senior thesis project for the theater major. Rice, who’s been planning her senior thesis since her sophomore year, said the concept of “Top Girls” seemed  “exciting” and “compelling” even before she read it.

Characters from the dinner party scene include Pope Joan, a highly contested historical figure, and Dull Gret, a figure from Flemish folklore. The women discuss topics ranging from childbirth to gender identity.

“The play investigates gender identity and gender fluidity and the performance of gender in really exciting ways,” said Rice.

Rice pointed to the character of Pope Joan, who, according to legend, was a woman who pretended to be a man and reigned as a pope during the Middle Ages. 

The seven person, all-female cast is double, sometimes triple-casted to account for all the characters, leading to several quick changes over the course of play.

Kemper Rodi ’27, who led make-up and hair design for the production, said that she played around with the styles of each character. 

“It’s very 80s, so everybody has kind of huge hair or fun lipstick or there’s one scene where we do a New Romantic quick change,” said Rodi.

“New Romantic” is a niche style from the 1980s, characterized by flamboyant colors and extravagant hair and makeup. At one point of the performance, Alice Kasdan ’28, who plays three different roles, transforms into this New Romantic style in less than ten minutes.

According to Rodi, this entire process, which includes make-up, costume change and hair-teasing, takes six to seven minutes before Kasdan is rushed to the stage. 

Despite being set in the 1980s, Rice said the play is still “topical,” with the political themes that are deeply relevant to contemporary viewers.

“I hope people watch it as a reflection of what’s going on in the world around them as much as it is a period piece,” said Rice.

Ryan Pascal ’25, a co-producer of the show, echoed a similar sentiment, saying that the play is especially poignant because it features women speaking candidly about their political views.

“I think it’s taken a lot of different life forms throughout the changing political climates that we’ve experienced just over these past few months working on the show,” said Pascal.

According to Rice, the play also poses an extremely personal question to audiences: “What are you going to do with your life?”

“The act of choosing a life is really my scream for the direction — the biggest, most important, essential question or theme that I want people to see when they watch it,” said Rice.

The Theater, Dance and Performance Studies Black Box is located at 53 Wall St.