The Pack of Women

The Pack of Woman was a cabaret devised by Australian performer and director Robyn Archer, first performed in London in 1981. Although funny and entertaining, the work also set out to shock audiences into examining the role of women in Western society. The title is a metaphor for the game of life played according to rules in which sexual politics were critical. In 1983, it was produced by Understudies (Sue Hill & Chris Westwood), directed by Archer and designed by Roger Kirk. It played seasons in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra with a cast consisting of Jane Clifton, Judi Connelli and Michele Fawdon.^[1][2]

The Pack of Women
Written by	Robyn Archer
Directed by	Ted Robinson
Starring	Robyn Archer Judi Connelli Tracy Harvey
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	1986 (1986)

The Pack of Women was subsequently made into a 1986 television special for the ABC featuring Archer, Connelli, Tracy Harvey, Jo Kennedy and Meryl Tankard.^[3] Described as "perhaps the most daring and unashamedly radical thing to happen to Aunty in a long time", it contained the first use of the word cunt on Australian television.^[4][5] The soundtrack won the inaugural ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack or Cast Album.^[6]

Television soundtrack

The Pack of Women
Soundtrack album by Various
Released	1986 (1986)
Label	ABC Records
Producer	Andrew Bell

Track listing

LP/Cassette

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Vocals	Length
1.	"Is That Me?"	R. Archer, Andrew Bell	Jo Kennedy	3:07
2.	"Whose Pleasure?"	R. Archer, A. Bell	Robyn Archer	3:40
3.	"Waiting Too Long"	R. Archer, A. Bell	Judi Connelli, Tracy Harvey, Jo Kennedy	2:11
4.	"In Business"	R. Archer, A. Bell	Jo Kennedy	3:13
5.	"Nobody Sings"	C. Churchill/M. Random	Tracy Harvey	2:23
6.	"(S)he's a Rebel"	G. Pitney	Jo Kennedy	2:10
7.	"Coupling"	R. Archer	Judi Connelli	2:39
8.	"Sweet Solitary Blues"	R. Archer	Robyn Archer	4:06
9.	"The Ballad of Dancing Doreen"	R. McTell	Judi Connelli	3:05
10.	"Suburban Sonnet"	G. Harwood, R. Archer	Robyn Archer	2:54
11.	"Menstruation Blues"	R. Archer	Judi Connelli, Robyn Archer, Maree Steinway, Tracy Harvey	3:39
12.	"Dig Deeper"	R. Archer, A. Bell	Robyn Archer, Meryl Tankard, Judi Connelli, Tracy Harvey, Jo Kennedy	3:03

References

1. "A pack of talented women". The Age. 24 June 1983. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
2. "AusStage".
3. Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p126
4. "Five aces and a royal flush". Sydney Morning Herald. 20 October 1986. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
5. "Meglomania, passion and feeling is what this producer is looking for". Sydney Morning Herald. 20 October 1986. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
6. Robyn Archer website accessed 17 July 2013

External links

• The Pack of Women at IMDb