The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
They are comedians. They are country singers. They are yodelers. They are political activists. They are middle-aged women. They are lesbians. They are the Topp Twins. It’s offensive when journalists writing about performers feel they must divulge sexual orientation; however, with The Topps it’s an integral part of their story. And their story is told in Leanne Pooley’s documentary, The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls, released by The Disinformation Company, Ltd., on November 15.
These New Zealand siblings have entertained their home country and the world for over 20 years with political humor, character skits, country music, and friendly banter. It wasn’t a particularly opportune time when they “outed” themselves, but they are credited with influencing “the cultural fabric of a nation.” Considering their 80’s radicalism and blatant honesty, one is surprised by their audiences who range from farmers to teenagers.
The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls is an intimate portrait of Jools and Lynda Topp, chronicling their lives from farm girls to cultural icons. In addition to their colleagues, their parents participated in the making of the film, and they are seen interviewed at home, discussing what great kids The Topps were and the parents’ reaction to their admission that they are gay. Performance clips illustrate their appeal and rapport with their audiences.
The top-grossing documentary in New Zealand film history, The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls is entertaining, but also takes a serious, inspiring look at Jools’ battle with breast cancer. The film is filled with samples of their work; audiences will get to see them singing (and yodeling, of course) and performing comedy sketches as their various alter-egos. It’s Jools and Lynda, being themselves, that’s at the heart of The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls. Their recollections and hopes, as well as their affection for each other and their family, paint a portrait of two women we’d like to know even better.
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