DAISY PULLS IT OFF

 

Daisy Pulls It Off.

Written by Denise Deegan. Originally produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Directed by Kate Blackhurst. Production Design by Annie Kay. Lighting Design Nathan Sciberras. Sound design Nev Pye. Stage Manager Anne Maree Paradin. Production Manager David Bennett. Canberra REP Theatre. September 10-26. 2026. Bookings 6257 1950.

Reviewed by Peter Wilkins

The cast of Daisy Pulls It Off

 

Denise Deegan’s Daisy Pulls It Off comes to Canberra Rep with an impressive pedigree. In 1983 it was the recipient of the Laurence Olivier Award for the Best Entertainment or Comedy Award as well as a Critics Circle Theatre Award. What is most welcome about Rep’s inclusion of the play in its 2026 Season is the decision to present an all-female cast under the direction of Kate Blackhurst. On the surface Deegan’s play about Daisy Meadow’s experience as a scholarship student at the prestigious Grangewood School for Girls is a nostalgic look at girls’ education in the 1920’s. 

Daisy (Ashleigh Butler) Miss Granville (Antonia Kitzel)

Daisy (Ashleigh Butler)  is a young girl from a poor background with dreams of rising above her station. She applies for and wins a scholarship to Grangewood and the promise of an elite education. However she immediately confronts the realities of England’s class system in the snobbish and catty treatment by Sybil Burlington (Alex McPherson) and Monica Smithers (Kara Taylor) who set about to plant false accusations that could lead to Daisy’s expulsion. Fortunately, Daisy is befriended by Trixie Martin (Elaine Noon) and together they set about to discover the Beaumont treasure that could ensure the future of the school and the scholarship.  Without giving the plot away, Daisy triumphs and Deegan’s parody of girls’ education in the 1920s is a call for equality in education and the opportunity to succeed in life.

 

After having just seen a production of Disney’s Frozen that astounds with modern technology it was interesting to see Kate Blackhurst ‘s traditional amateur production that cast me back to the theatre experiences of the Fifties. Annie Kay’s design with panneled brown timber, doors on wheels and Honour Rolls with Rep names on the walls captures the flavour of bygone amateur productions. Blackhurst  is to be commended on directing an all-female cast. Daisy Pulls It Off does not have the political sting of David Hare’s Slag, which is about three female teachers in an all-girls’ school. Deegan’s play is more conservative in the tradition of the St. Trinian’s stories but it does highlight the injustice that young women may experience if they do not conform to class expectations or the unfair attitudes of prejudiced authority figures. In Rep’s production the message is clear. It is Daisy’s individual talent that will triumph over adversity, whether that be at hockey, at the rescue of her enemies or at searching for the Beaufort Treasure. Daisy Pulls It Off is an affirmation of gender equality and society’s responsibility to recognize and promote opportunity for all women, irrespective of class or background. Do check out the sobering timeline for the education of women in the Rep programme. Daisy’s battle has won many victories, but the war goes on.

 

Trixie (Elaine Noon) Clare (Lily Wellings) Daisy (Ashleigh Butler)

In a cast as large as this, the differences in experience are apparent and more attention to vocal, projection, diction and clarity would have helped my better understanding of much of the plot. Even professional companies employ a voice coach! There are some fine performances, including the Munchkin-like schoolgirl performances of Elaine Noon and Antonia Kitzel. There is firm authority in Azeria Cromhout’s Miss Gibson and viperish superiority in Alex McPherson’s Sybil. The two male roles are effectively spoofed by Sue Gore Phillips as Mr Scoblowski, sporting a ludicrous cut out beard and Rachel Howard as the pipe smoking, lurking Mr. Thompson whose real identity is eventually revealed.

As the protagonist Daisy, Ashleigh Butler gives a very natural and appealing performance. She exudes a maturity that already shows that she is an actor to watch in the future. I look forward to seeing her in future challenging and rewarding roles.

Much of the first act is relatively static and could be livened up by an injection of energy. I suspect that a matinee performance may have initially taken some energy out of the evening performance that I attended, but this appeared to be resolved in the second act by some interesting staging such as the portrait gallery, the hockey match, the rescue,  the excellent choir singing and the final dance with a nod to the tradition of Greek comedy.

On the one hand, Daisy Pulls It Off is a nostalgic glimpse of a theatre of a bygone era. Rep’s usual high standards of detailed set design and construction appropriately take second place in this observance of amateur tradition. On the other, apart from providing equal opportunity for a female cast, it also echoes that principle in its message and the realization that Daisy’s will to succeed on equal terms and have her talent recognized is a fundamental right for all, and especially women.

In providing this important message in a entertaining production, Rep’s latest production has definitely pulled it off.