A Comedy by Denise Deegan

Playing at the Theatre Pitöeff, 52 rue de Carouge
Tuesday 30 April
Wednesday 1 May
Thursday 2 May
Friday 3 May
Saturday 4 May
All shows at 20.00h

Tickets available at the theatre box-office

Daisy Pulls it Off is "a gloriously witty parody" about life in a gels (girls) boarding school circa 1930-1950. The heroine, Daisy Meredith, overcomes snobbery and prejudice when she wins a scholarship to posh Grangewood School for young ladies. After initial problems caused by toady Monica and sneaky Sybil, she is wrongly accused and nearly expelled but she eventually leads her school hockey team to victory (hurrah!) and discovers the hidden treasure that saves the school from ruin (double hurrah!). This is not a children's story but a sharp piece of theatre, working on several levels. Some of the humour is in the gentle but wicked parodying of the hopelessly idealistic and narrow minded stories for children that were meant to instruct them in the morals valued by society of a certain era. Despite that, the play remains completely innocent, at least outwardly. The essence of the real humour derives from adults playing at being children, earnestly, but as only adults can! The characters greet the audience as they enter the auditorium in the manner of mistresses and pupils greeting parents for the school sports day. The school atmosphere is created with girls and teachers in uniform selling programs and mingling with the audience pre-show. The headmistress then addresses the assembled audience and the cast leaves the stage before Daisy starts the story. As the play unfolds each character introduces themselves to the audience thus? " Belinda Matthieson, captain of the Upper Fourth and best all round sportswoman of that Form"??." Monica Smithers, school toady and chief crony of Sybil Burlington"? before immediately rejoining the play's dialogue. This method of mixing narrative with dialogue continues through the play and is another important feature of the humour.