Directed by Leanne Pooley

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If you haven’t heard of the world’s only comedic, country singing, dancing, and yodelling lesbian twin sisters, then you had better get yourself acquainted with the Topp Twins – and fast.

Jools and Lynda Topp started performing at 17 years of age, busking in Auckland and drawing such huge crowds they were in trouble with the police. Speaking to OUTinPerth from her home in New Zealand, Lynda recalled action-packed days early in the twins’ career. Particularly memorable was being arrested by two police constables and having to draw on her best Ironside knowledge of the law when they turned up to court to defend the charge of obstructing the footpath. The charge was dismissed because the twins were not actually obstructing the footpath – the crowd was.

Thirty-three years later, the Topp twins are celebrating their ‘100 year anniversary’ by filling the big screen with their life story. Archive footage of their performances and home movies are juxtaposed with performances and new interviews with Lynda and Jools as well as the Topps’ infamous comedy alter-egos – Camp Mother and Camp Leader; the Bowling Ladies, Mavis and Lorna; the Posh Socialite sisters, Prue and Dilly; two ‘Westie’ girls, Brenda and Raelene and the two Kens.

Their ability to relate to all kinds of people and their natural gift for humour has helped build a diverse fan base. Their fans include hard core political activists, sheep farmers who consider Ken and Ken as a great tribute, ‘Ladies who Lunch’ and a myriad of others who have followed the careers of these relatively shameless entertainers. The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls is not only the story of the sisters but of the cultural changes and political battles fought over the last fifty years in New Zealand.

The Topp Twins have brought their humour and music to many political battles and Lynda noted that all these battles had been won – the battle for equal rights for Maori people; the battle for equal rights for homosexual people with civil unions now being possible in New Zealand, and the anti-nuclear legislation putting New Zealand ahead of most countries. More recently, Jools’ brush with Breast Cancer was successfully overcome and shared with honesty, wisdom and humour in the documentary.

Lynda, or rather Camp Mother, actually came close to winning the mayoral elections in Auckland in 1998. Lynda told OUTinPerth that she thinks that New Zealand needs to have another woman prime minister. I’m not sure if Camp Mother might be hitting the campaign trail again as Jools says, ‘Sometimes getting people to laugh is the most political thing you can do’.

Lynda says that ‘every day is a new adventure’ and the next project for these Kiwi icons is working with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra for a performance in April. Unfortunately you’ll have to book your tickets to Auckland to see the classical version of My Pinto Pony as their planned trip to Australia has been cancelled and they are not sure when they’ll make it to Australia next. The next best thing would be to head up to Joondalup Pines with a group of friends and a picnic to catch the documentary The Topp Twins: the Untouchable Girls.

Voted the most popular film at the Melbourne International Film Festival and the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival last year, the documentary will be screening at the Joondalup Pines from the 15-21 March. Those who know of the twins and their hilarious antics will have already booked their tickets. And that’s because of what this documentary does, it gets you to laugh and cry and wonder if you’re getting as much out of life as these ‘two very, very naughty girls who like having fun’.

For me, the lasting memory of The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls is the last frame which freezes the seventeen year old twins as they jump up and down and belt out what has become their theme song – untouchable girls.

Thanks to the Perth International Arts Festival, OUTinPerth has double tickets to the opening night of The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls at Joondalup Pines on the grounds of Edith Cowan University. See for your chance to win yourself a double pass.