''Daisy Pulls It Off '' is a

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

Denise Deegan Denise Deegan (born 1952) is an English novelist and playwright. She is best known for her play, '' Daisy Pulls It Off''. Biography Deegan was born in London, England, where she trained in stage management at East 15 Acting School. Prior to ...

. It is an original script. It is a

parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its sub ...

of wholesome adventure stories about life in a 1920s girls' English boarding school, in a similar genre to those by

Angela Brazil Angela Brazil (pronounced "brazzle") (30 November 186813 March 1947) was one of the first British writers of "modern schoolgirls' stories", written from the characters' point of view and intended primarily as entertainment rather than moral ins ...

. The original production of the play tested at the Nuffield Theatre in 1983, then ran for 1,180 performances at the

Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas Brend, and ...

Synopsis

Energetic Daisy Meredith, a girl from a poor background, is forced to face and overcome snobbish prejudice and schoolgirl pranks from the wealthier girls. She and her best friend, zany Trixie Martin, search for the missing treasure that could save the fortunes of the exclusive Grangewood School for Young Ladies. Along the way, Daisy overcomes false accusations, saves the lives of her enemies and discovers that the mysterious stranger seen around the grounds is her long-lost father. At the start Trixie has a higher status, but as they start the hunt for the treasure Daisy's status becomes higher than Trixie's as she knows more about treasure seeking.

Productions

After tryouts at the Nuffield Theatre in Southampton in 1983, the play was staged in the West End at the Gielgud Theatre (then known as the Globe) from April 1983 to February 1986, produced by

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musical ...

and directed by David Gilmore. It ran for 1,180 performances and then toured for two years. Alexandra Mathie starred as Daisy. The play launched the careers of

Kate Buffery Katharine Rose Buffery (born 23 July 1957) is an English actress. She is known for her numerous roles on British television, including the ITV drama series ''Wish Me Luck'' (1988–1990), BBC miniseries ''Close Relations'' (1998), Channel 5 l ...

Lia Williams Lia Williams (born 26 November 1964) is an English actress and director, known for stage, film, and television appearances. She is noted for her role as Wallis Simpson in ''The Crown''. Theatre career Williams's breakthrough performance came ...

, Gabrielle Glaister and

Samantha Bond Samantha Jane Bond (born 27 November 1961) is an English actress, who is best known for playing Miss Moneypenny in four James Bond films during the Pierce Brosnan years, and for her role on ''Downton Abbey'' as the wealthy widow Lady Rosamu ...

. The production won an

Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known a ...

and the Drama Theatre Award for Best Comedy. Kate Buffery was nominated for an Olivier as Best Supporting Actress. Dewsbury Arts Group's 1989 production of the play was the scene of

Victoria O'Keefe Victoria O'Keefe (27 March 1969 – 18 April 1990) was an English actress. Her first role was in the 1983 television series ''Nanny''. She also played ''Letty'' in the 1984 miniseries of the same name. She is best known for her role as Jane in ...

's last stage role (as Sybyl Burlington), before her untimely death at 21 in a car accident in 1990. A 2002 revival at the Lyric Theatre was also directed by Gilmore and produced by Lloyd Webber. There was also a 2008 UK tour.Review of 2008 UK tour production
by Timothy Ramsden, 27 May 2008 Similar to the unrelated series of St Trinian's films, the schoolgirls in professional productions are often played by older actresses, and the headmistress frequently is played by a man. The family-friendly piece is a popular choice for school productions."Hurrah! Daisy blooms again"
''The Telegraph'', 25 April 2002 A revived London production ran at the

Arts Theatre The Arts Theatre is a theatre in Great Newport Street, in Westminster, Central London. History It opened on 20 April 1927 as a members-only club for the performance of unlicensed plays, thus avoiding theatre censorship by the Lord Chamber ...

in the West End from 19 January - 6 February 2010. It was directed by Nadine Hanwell. In 2018, the stage production revived starring a younger lead actress, Emily Elizabeth. The show lasted from May 2018 to November 2018, when it closed for the final time as a professional performance. The last show was performed in Liverpool at the

Liverpool Empire Theatre The Liverpool Empire Theatre is a theatre on the corner of Lime Street in Liverpool, England. The playhouse, which opened in 1925, is the second one to be built on the site. It has the largest two-tier auditorium in the United Kingdom and can ...

on November 19, 2018.

References

External links

A review of the 2002 revivalAlbemarle archive site
{{OlivierAward Comedy 1976–2000 1983 plays Comedy plays Plays by Denise Deegan Laurence Olivier Award-winning plays West End plays

Synopsis

Productions

References

Further reading

External links