Top Girls

I actually thought this play was really intriguing thematically and challenged a lot of notions of gender roles in society - particularly what women have to sacrifice of themselves in order to compete for the same societal position as men.  Structurally, however, it was a bit confusing, as the non-linear storytelling threw me off a bit.  Churchill tied everything in by the end, but that didn't quite change the fact I was lost for the first two acts.  That being said, I did enjoy the opening scene where Marlene met the women from history.  Though I usually don't think dream (or dream-like) sequences are effective, I liked the fact that Churchill used this opportunity to present telling parallels to Marlene's predicament that spanned ages.  Through this, Churchill was able to show that Marlene's sacrifices are not simply the result of a postmodern woman in the workforce or the rise of feminism, but a truth for women throughout history.  These women have all had to give up vital parts of themselves to get ahead, which begs the question: how far have we really gotten in the fight for equal rights when women are still forced to choose which integral part of themselves to give up in order to succeed?