Diva Productions Ltd

Date: [ca. 1975-2005]

By: Diva Productions Ltd

Reference: PA-Group-00906

Description: Photographs of, and relating to, the Topp Twins, likely taken between 1975 and 2005, by a range of unidentified photographers. The collection includes publicity portraits of the Topp Twins, photographs and negatives of the caravan used by the Twins for their 1989 Great New Zealand Gypsy Caravan tour, and a small photo album of Polaroid instant photographs from the 1980s, mainly of unidentified friends of Jools and Lynda Topp. Additionally, the collection contains publicity images of Rhona Cameron and Paul Capsis used as promotional materials by Diva Productions for the 1997 International New Zealand Comedy Festival in Auckland. The collection also includes film negatives showing mainly the interior and exterior of the caravan used in the Topp Twins 1989 Great Gypsy Caravan Tour. Source of title - Title supplied by Library Quantity: 33 colour original photographic print(s) colour original photographic print(s). 15 colour original negative(s) strips with 56 images. 5 colour original transparency/ies. 4 b&w original photographic print(s). 2 colour photo-mechanical print(s). 1 colour Polaroid instant camera print. 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Photograph prints, film negatives, and slide transparencies Provenance: Donated by Diva Productions, Auckland, 2013 Transfers: From Manuscripts & Archives - Diva Productions Ltd - Records of the Topp Twins, reference number MS-Group-2258.

Date: 1997

Reference: Eph-D-DOWNSTAGE-1997

Description: Includes: "The ballad of Jimmy Costello". (Starring Tim Balme). Downstage Theatre, [April? 1997] (3 different black and white posters) The Beat Girls live at Downstage. ASB International Laugh Festival. Downstage Theatre, 1-4 May, 11-17 May [1997] (2 copies) Laugh at Downstage! in association with Diva Productions presents Rhona Cameron. 5-10 May [1997] (2 copies) Under Lili's Balcony. "The exchange", by Paul Claudel, directed and translated by Stephen Bain and France Herve. Downstage 3-12, 14-19 July [1997] Footnote Dance Company. "Leaping latitudes". Choreography by Merenia Gray, Nicole Bishop, Deirdre Tarrant, Scott Milham, Mark Harvey, Catherine Gardner and Jane Duncan. 1997 tour. Downstage Theatre, 10-13 September [1997] (2 copies) A solo performance by Michael Parmenter. "A long undressing". Christchurch Court Theatre 2 22-27 September; Wellington Downstage Theatre 30 September - 4 October [1997] "Purapurawhetu", by Briar Grace-Smith; directed by Cathy Downes. The first Taki Rua production at Downstage. 22 May - 7 June [1997] (2 copies) ["Shopping and F***ing"], by Mark Ravenhill. An Out of Joint / Royal Court production, supported by the British Council and presented by arrangement with Adelaide Festival Centre Trust. Downstage [1997] Tennessee Williams' "A streetcar named desire", directed by Jean Betts, [with] Bronwyn Bradley, Dave Fane, Conrad Newport, Lucy Schmidt. Downstage, 14-22 February [1997] (2 copies) "Syzygy" creative music ensemble. Improvised music season; with special guest Mike Nock (19-20 Sept). Downstage, 18-20 September [1997] Throw Disposable Choreography [aka Kristian Larsen]. Downstage Theatre, 22-25 September [1997] (2 copies) Diva Productions presents Rhiannon in "Toward home". Auckland Maidment Theatre 11-14 February; Wellington Downstage Theatre 17-22 February [1997] (2 copies) "True", by Stuart McKenzie; directed by Roy Ward (With Shane Bartle, Miranda Harcourt, Rebecca Hobbs, Desmond Kelly. Downstage Theatre, 14 January - 1 February [1997] (2 copies) "Waiora", written by Hone Kouka; directed by Murray Lynch [Features Nancy Brunning]. Downstage Theatre Wellington 21-30 April; Whakatane Little Theatre 2-4 May; Maidment Theatre Auckland, 8-16 May [1997] (2 copies) Ocean Productions. Steven Berkoff's "West", directed by Roger Morton (With Rena Owen, Calvin Tuteao, Bruce Hopkins (Auckland only), Michael Hallows, Peter Tait, Anne Budd, Mark Clare, Grant Triplow, Geoff Knight, William Wallace). Music by Steven Small. Produced by Roger & Joselyn Morton. Bruce Mason Centre Takapuna 7-15 November; Downstage Wellington 27 Nov - 20 Dec [1997] (2 copies) Quantity: 6 b&w photo-mechanical print(s). 11 colour photo-mechanical print(s). Physical Description: Offset prints on posters, sizes varying up to around 700 x 420 mm. Provenance: Donated by Downstage Theatre, Wellington, 2005 and 2007

Date: 1997

From: Diva Productions Ltd: Records of the Topp Twins

Reference: MS-Papers-11685-97

Description: Folder contains Diva Productions publicity materials and art work for the promotion of shows by Rhona Cameron, Paul Capsis, and the Topp Twins with Bob Downe at the 1997 New Zealand International Comedy Festival. Also contains news clippings and reviews of the performances. Quantity: 1 folder(s).

Date: 1998 - 1999

Reference: Eph-A-VARIETY-1998/1999

Description: Includes: 1998: Acrobatics direct from China. [New Zealand tour itinerary 14 -21 April 1998]. Flier ASB Bank Wellington International LAUGH! Festival. 22 April - 10 May [1998]. Season programme (2 copies) The Bluenote live performance venue, 195 Cuba Street. Jam night, Reg Stone Trio, Nga Tuahine, Costa & Deja Blue, Global Mix Rhythm 'n Trance - Taiko & World drumming Fire & Flouro DJ's [Small flier listing events for 25-29 August 1998] Le Cercle Invisible; the invisible circle. New Zealand Festival. State Opera House, 4-10 March 1998. Programme (2 copies) Fascinating Aida. "It, Wit, Don't give a Shit Girls". New Zealand Festival. Paramount Theatre, 5-9 March 1998. Programme The Flying Fruit Fly Circus. "Totally Wicked". New Zealand Festival. Michael Fowler Centre, 18-22 March 1998. Programme Ewen Gilmour. "Gullible's travels" [recto]. Paul Ego, Jaq Tweedie, Philip Patston, Cal Wilson [verso ]. ASB Bank International Laugh Festival 1998. Small flier (2 copies) The James & Mr Fungus presents Fungraiser; Taika & Jemaine, Merenia Gray Dance Company, Lemon, Kristian Larsen, Vanessa Stacey, David Greer, Sam Manzanza & Djembe Beat, Mu, Gasg Grinders, Dallas, Cam Morrow, Invisible Circus, Peter Dali, Caroline Waltz, Claire Martin. James Cabaret, 4 June [1998]. Yellow promotional flier The Right Size. "Stop calling me Vernon". New Zealand Festival. Paramount Theatre, 10-15 March 1998. Programme (2 copies) Stomp; see what all the noise is about! Wellington Queens Wharf Events Centre 5-8 March; Auckland ASB Theatre, 10-15 March [1998]. Promotional postcard Sugar & Spice live. International Laugh! Festival 1998. Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, 22 April - 17 May 1998. Promotional card The Umbilical Brothers. "Don't explain; a comic cabaret". New Zealand Festival. Paramount Theatre, 27 February - 4 March1998. Programme (2 copies), and ticket Te Whare Rokiroki & Wellington Women's Refuges presents "What's in the kete?", an evening of fun, entertainment & live music hosted by Mrs Shipley & Mrs Semisi (Pinky Agnew / Hori Ahipene). Wellington Workingmen's Club, 107 Cuba Street, 30 July [1998?]. Yellow flier 1999: Diva Productions presents Cal Wilson is the Aunti-Christ. International Laugh! Festival 1999. Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch 2-15 May 1999. Promotional card (2 copies) Diva Productions presents Elvira Kurt (Canada), International Laugh! Festival 1999. Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch 1-15 May 1999. Promotional card (2 copies) "The garden warrior's apprentice" Copyright Brent Harpur Ltd 1999. Coming soon to the 1999 Wellington Fringe Festival. Promotional illustrated card (2 copies) and green pamphlet Hemi 268; performance installation show, by Mark Harvey, with Gabriel White, Kate Bartlett, Peter Ford, Grant Triplow, Mike Dwyer, Guy Ryan and others. St Kevin's Arcade, 1-3 July 1999. Card Magdalena Aotearoa; International Festival of Women's performance. Wellington 21-29 March 1999; Paekakariki, 1-3 April 1999. Programme Magicana (Serial). 20 Sunvale Place, Tauranga, 3001, New Zealand Envelope [1999] Quantity: 1 folder(s). Physical Description: Programmes, tickets, and flyers, sizes varying up to 288 x 157 mm. Provenance: Donated from various sources

Date: 1997 - 2000

Reference: Eph-D-VARIETY-1997/2000

Description: Includes: 1997: Diva Productions presents Rhiannon in "Toward home". Direct from the USA. Auckland Maidment Theatre 11-14 February; Wellington Downstage Theatre 17-22 February [1997] 1998: TB Entertainment proudly presents the heavyweights of comedy, the Brownies, in "Faleaitu - House of Spirits". 1998 shows: Wellington Downstage 22-26 April; Auckland Town Hall 27 April - 3 May; Dunedin Ruby in the Dust 12-16 May; Christchurch The Great Hall 19-23 May [1998] Thistle Hall; it's got every prick in the book. 20 February - 21 March [1998] 1999: Magdalena Aotearoa; International Festival of Women's Performance. Wellington 21-29 March 1999; Paekakariki, 1-3 April 1999. 2000: Comedyfest presents the 4 Noels in "The magnificent Seventeen"; it's Pulp Fiction meets High Noon meets Rocky Horror. TV2 International Laugh Festival. Auckland Town Hall 27 April - 6 May; Wellington Cable St International Laugh Theatre, 8-13 May [2000] The Variety Club 10th anniversary Monster Millennium Bash. 11 - 18 March 2000. Quantity: 1 folder(s). Physical Description: Offset prints, sizes ranging up to 600 mm.

Reference: Eph-E-VARIETY-Topp

Description: Posters relating to concerts and productions with which the Topp Twins were involved, including: 2001: Topp Twins "Grass highway" New Zealand tour [May 9-26 2001] 2003: Topp Twins book tour. Jools and Lynda Topp. North Island show dates [Itinerary. 2003] (2 copies) 2005: Diva Productions presents Topp Twins national tour 2005 (3 copies, all signed by both Jules and Lynda) 2007: Diva Productions presents Topp Twins Recovery Tour, 4-27 October [Itinerary poster for North Island venues 2007] (3 copies) 2009: Diva Productions. Topp Twins; Topp 100 years, October 14-Nov 8 [2009]. (2 copies) "Topp Twins: Untouchable girls". 'A love letter to New Zealand'. The New Zealand Film Commission in association with Diva Films present "Topp Twins: Untouchable girls". 'More fun than a possum up your trousers' - Sydney Morning Herald. [2009] (2 copies) The New Zealand Film Commission in association with Diva Films present "Topp Twins: Untouchable girls" A film by Leanne Pooley. "Intimate, surprisingly touching" 2009 (2 copies) Arrangement: This group of posters was donated in 2013 by Diva Productions and has been kept as a group. There is other Topp Twins material and posters in other parts of the Ephemera Collection, under appropriate subject locations. Quantity: 7 colour photo-mechanical print(s) (plus some duplicates). Physical Description: Offset prints, sizes ranging up to 1000 mm. Provenance: Donated by Diva Productions in 2013. Transfers: From Manuscripts & Archives - MS-Group-2258 - Other material of the same provenance is housed at MS-Group-2258, PA-Group-00906, and Curios-049-007..

Date: 2009

By: Diva Productions Ltd

Reference: Eph-B-VARIETY-2009-02

Description: Programme booklet contains many photographs of the performing twin sisters over 25 years. Two copies held. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Booklet of 8 pages, 300 x 212 mm. Provenance: Donated by Diva Productions in 2014. Transfers: From Manuscripts & Archives - MS-Group-2258 - Other material of the same provenance is housed at MS-Group-2258.

Date: 1989-2018

By: Diva Productions Ltd

Reference: Eph-B-VARIETY-Topp

Description: Includes: 1989: The Topp Twins invite ... to a picnic ... to launch their Great New Zealand Gypsy Caravan Tour. Puhoi Community Hall, 10 January 1989. Postcard (2 copies) 1994: The Topp Twins in "Topp secret". Drill Hall [London], 1 December 1994 - 7 January 1995. Greeting card The Topp Twins. "Camping out!". Tron Theatre [Glasgow]. 25-27 August [1994?]. Flier (2 copies) 1996: Topp Twins on tour (liquorice allsorts on plate on gingham tablecloth) [1996]. Flier (2 copies) ca 1997: The Topp Twins. Watch out for new TV series, . Bruce Mason Centre, 9-10 August [ca 1997]. Flier (2 copies) 1997: The Topp Twins. The Drill Hall, London, 12-27 September [1997?]. Postcard (2 copies) The Topp Twins & Bob Downe ... 1997 ASB Bank International Laugh Festival. Pamphlet (2 copies) 1998: Aloha; come & celebrate 80 years of the Topp Twins; 40th birthday wrap party. Irish Society Great Hall, 14 May [1998]. Yellow card (2 copies) ca 2000: The Topp Twins; "a sort of cross between Teletubbies and French and Saunders". Flier (2 copies) The Topp Twins Christmas special. bruce Mason centre, 6-7 December [ca 20000. Card (2 copies) 2001: The Topp Twins "Toppical". NZ national tour March 2001. A4 flier (2 copies) The Topp Twins wish to invite ... to their CD launch. Galatos bar, Galatos St [Auckland]. 27 March [2001]. Flier (2 copies) The Topp Twins wish to invite ... to The Basement ... [Sydney]. 11 July [2001]. Flier (2 copies) 2005: Topp Twins. [Hobart], outside Salamanca Arts Centre, 7 January 2005. Invitation flier (2 copies) 2007: Topp Twins 'Recovery Tour' 4-27 October 2007. Postcard 2017: The Topp Twins; heading for the hills [April - May 2017]. A4 flier Quantity: 1 folder(s). Physical Description: Offset prints, sizes varying up to 300 mm.

Date: 1972-2014

By: Diva Productions Ltd

Reference: ATL-Group-00704

Description: The collection comprises Diva Productions Ltd's records relating to management of the Topp Twins career as performers, including contracts, correspondence, financial records, printed material, shows and concert tours from the late 1980s and 1990s, press clippings, press releases, and other publicity materials. The collection also contains television scripts and working files for the production of the Topp Twins television series, including profiles and photographs of characters such as Camp Mother, Camp Leader, Ken and Ken, and others. The collection also includes materials from the campaign by Camp Mother (Lynda Topp) for the Auckland mayoralty in 1998, as well as lesbian and gay magazines (pre-1996), and a small number of personal papers of the Twins, including diaries, art work, memorabilia, and fan mail. Additionally, the collection contains materials used in the 2012 'Topp Twins - Six Strings and Politics' exhibition which ran at the Waikato Coalfields Museum until April 2013. Also includes video recordings relating mostly to the television series but also comprising some music and promotions. Title supplied by Library. Relationship complexity - the Ephemera collection at the Alexander Turnbull Library holds additional materials relating to the Topp Twins, which were received prior to the donation of this collection. Arrangement: The collection is divided into 12 series by content. Where possible, the collection arrangement reflects the original order and filing structures as the collection was received. Materials within a series have been presented in chronological order. A thirteenth series was added in April 2022, to group together videos which had been separated out from their original order and filing structure. Video recordings relating to the Topp Twins television show were added to Series 9 and arranged in an order imposed by the Library. Diva Productions Ltd was created in 1992 by Arani Cuthbert, initially as an artist management company for the Topp Twins. In addition to managing the Topp Twins' domestic and international tours, Diva Productions produced the Topp Twins television series (1996-2000) and the Topp Twins movie, Untouchable Girls (2009). Lynda and Julie (Jools) Topp are twin sisters from Huntly, Waikato, who perform character comedy and original country music together under the moniker, The Topp Twins. They began their career busking in Christchurch and Auckland, and were involved in various activist movements in the early 1980s. Both sisters are out lesbians, and have been actively involved in the gay community. The Topp Twins have toured internationally as comedians and musicians, and have starred in television programmes and film. In 2004 Jools and Lynda Topp were appointed Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit in recognition of services to entertainment, and the Twins were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame in 2008. Quantity: 213 folder(s). 118 videocassette(s) 80 VHS and 38 Betacam-SP. 9 volume(s). 4 Linear Metres. 1 digital video disc(s). Physical Description: Manuscripts, typescripts, printed material and video recordings. Transfers: Collection taken into the Manuscripts Collection, transfers made from there. - To Photographic Archive - 1 photo album, 5 slide transparencies, 15 negative strips, and 39 photographs - Reference number PA-Group-00906 - To Drawings & Prints Collection - one New-Ray Toys Company model Fiat 500F die-cast car with Topp Twins logo, reference number Curios-049-007. - To Ephemera Collection - Posters and backstage passes, including some materials that were featured in the 2012 'Six Strings and Politics' exhibition at the Waikato Coalfields Museum, Huntly, Reference number Eph-E-VARIETY-Topp; Eph-B-Variety-2009; and Eph-E-LOCAL-Akld-1998 - To Published Sound Collection - Sound and video recordings - The Topp Twins Go Vinyl (LP); No War in My Heart (cassette tape); Grass Highway (CD); Flowers and Cowgirls (CD); Honky Tonk Angel (CD); Two Timing (CD); Topp Twins TV Series complete collection (DVD); Ken's Hunting and Fishing Show (DVD); Topp Twins the Movie - Untouchable Girls (DVD); Topp Twins and the APO (DVD). Processing information: Collection updated to a multi-format collection in April 2022 when video recordings, previously separated out to Oral History and Sound, were reunited with the collection.