Caryl Churchill's Top Girls premiered in London in 1982. It was critically acclaimed, winning the Obie Award for Best Play when it was produced in New York City, and it has been performed by prominent theater companies since its premiere.
Top Girls examines and critiques the idea of the "new woman" in the 1980s. Margaret Thatcher, the first British Prime Minister, came to power in 1979, which influenced Churchill's play. Also known as The Iron Lady because of her tough and uncompromising leadership style, Thatcher represented the new heights women were striving to achieve as well as the sacrifices women were expected to make to achieve them. Her politics often diverged from those of the...
