The Attic, the Pearls and Three Fine Girls
Encyclopedia
The Attic, the Pearls and Three Fine Girls is a comedy collectively written by Martha Ross, Ann-Marie MacDonald
, Jennifer Brewin, Alisa Palmer
and Leah Cherniak. The play dimly recalls some of the themes of MacDonald's Fall on Your Knees
which she had recently completed before this play was staged at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in 1995.
In the prologue, entitled The Past, we are introduced to the three sisters-oldest to youngest: Jojo, a professor who is utterly captivated by her over-seas lover Brecht; Jayne, the systematic big cheese over at Bay Street
and the closeted lesbian; and finally Jelly, the self-supporting artist who has a great love for boxes.
We are also introduced to the Torture Dress and the pearls. Both of these objects were former possessions of their mother. Normally played with when the girls played dress up or tea party.
When the Torture Dress is worn, the remaining Fine sisters must carry out whatever duty the sister wearing the dress commands. We are shown the powers of the Torture Dress in the first few moments where Jojo makes Jayne dance.
Unlike the Torture Dress, the pearls are not to be played with. We learn this when Jelly lectures her sisters, also telling them that they were not allowed to be shoved into boxes.
Being placed in boxes by her sisters were most likely the reason why she was propelled into art and having an exhibition in the National Kunstwald Hoch Gallerie in Munchen, Munich.
In the next scene, they have been requested by their father to hold a party one week from today (next Friday) to remember the one week anniversary of their father's death. Jojo and Jayne do not realize that their father died until the very end of the scene after Jelly informs them seven times.
Jojo Fine is a nontenured English professor in her early forties. Somewhat dowdy, she seethes with suppressed passion. She likes to think of herself as the wise and benevolent eldest sister, but she is hyper-sensitive and given to sudden displays of histrionics.
Jayne Fine is a successful Bay Street shark, and a severely closeted lesbian. Jayne is the middle child. She believes there is no problem that cannot be solved using a flow chart, and deludes herself that her emotions are under strict control. She is, in fact, a ferocious marshmallow.
Jelly Fine is the youngest, a self-employed, self-supporting artist. Despite her sister's beliefs, Jelly is not only a serious artist, she is revealed as the mostly responsible and pragmatic of the three. She sympathizes with and loves her sisters, and is tortured by the battle that rages between them. She is very tolerant, but in the end, she can only be pushed so far.
Ann-Marie MacDonald
Ann-Marie MacDonald is a Canadian playwright, novelist, actor and broadcast journalist who lives in Toronto, Ontario. The daughter of a member of Canada's military, she was born at an air force base near Baden-Baden, West Germany....
, Jennifer Brewin, Alisa Palmer
Alisa Palmer
Alisa Palmer is a Canadian theatre director and playwright.Born and raised in New Brunswick, Canada, Alisa Palmer completed a degree in history at McGill University...
and Leah Cherniak. The play dimly recalls some of the themes of MacDonald's Fall on Your Knees
Fall on Your Knees
Fall on Your Knees is a novel by Canadian playwright, actor and novelist Ann-Marie MacDonald. The novel takes place in late 19th and early 20th centuries and chronicles four generations of the complex Piper Family. It is a story of "inescapable family bonds, terrible secrets, and of miracles"...
which she had recently completed before this play was staged at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in 1995.
In the prologue, entitled The Past, we are introduced to the three sisters-oldest to youngest: Jojo, a professor who is utterly captivated by her over-seas lover Brecht; Jayne, the systematic big cheese over at Bay Street
Bay Street
Bay Street, originally known as Bear Street, is a major thoroughfare in Downtown Toronto. It is the centre of Toronto's Financial District and is often used by metonymy to refer to Canada's financial industry since succeeding Montreal's St. James Street in that role in the 1970s...
and the closeted lesbian; and finally Jelly, the self-supporting artist who has a great love for boxes.
We are also introduced to the Torture Dress and the pearls. Both of these objects were former possessions of their mother. Normally played with when the girls played dress up or tea party.
When the Torture Dress is worn, the remaining Fine sisters must carry out whatever duty the sister wearing the dress commands. We are shown the powers of the Torture Dress in the first few moments where Jojo makes Jayne dance.
Unlike the Torture Dress, the pearls are not to be played with. We learn this when Jelly lectures her sisters, also telling them that they were not allowed to be shoved into boxes.
Being placed in boxes by her sisters were most likely the reason why she was propelled into art and having an exhibition in the National Kunstwald Hoch Gallerie in Munchen, Munich.
In the next scene, they have been requested by their father to hold a party one week from today (next Friday) to remember the one week anniversary of their father's death. Jojo and Jayne do not realize that their father died until the very end of the scene after Jelly informs them seven times.
The Fine Sisters
----Jojo Fine is a nontenured English professor in her early forties. Somewhat dowdy, she seethes with suppressed passion. She likes to think of herself as the wise and benevolent eldest sister, but she is hyper-sensitive and given to sudden displays of histrionics.
Jayne Fine is a successful Bay Street shark, and a severely closeted lesbian. Jayne is the middle child. She believes there is no problem that cannot be solved using a flow chart, and deludes herself that her emotions are under strict control. She is, in fact, a ferocious marshmallow.
Jelly Fine is the youngest, a self-employed, self-supporting artist. Despite her sister's beliefs, Jelly is not only a serious artist, she is revealed as the mostly responsible and pragmatic of the three. She sympathizes with and loves her sisters, and is tortured by the battle that rages between them. She is very tolerant, but in the end, she can only be pushed so far.