JADAR

★★★☆☆

Gwenda’s Garage is a new British musical produced by Out of Archive, in association with Sheffield Theatres, about a group of Lesbian mechanics in Sheffield in the 1980s, inspiring hope and collectivism amongst a backdrop of Thatcherism and homophobia. After a successful run at Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse in Sheffield, I was excited to watch the London premiere of the show at Southwark Playhouse Borough.

Written by Nicky Hallet, with music by Val Regan, Gwenda’s Garage is based on a real Lesbian-run garage in Sheffield named after 1930s racecar driver Gwenda Stewart, and established in 1985 by newly-qualified mechanics Ros Wall, Annette Williams and Roz Wollen. The show was created by fictionalising interviews with women involved in the garage and feminist activism.

The show itself makes the audience very aware of the true stories behind the narrative. Towards the beginning of the musical, the characters make a disclaimer that “it’s been 40 years” and that only “some of this happened”. This was both a benefit, as it inspired the audience to think deeply about the history of this community, yet it somewhat took me out of the main narrative when the characters broke out of scenes to narrate in past tense.

The musical packs an abundance of heart and nuance into its two-hour runtime, emphasising collectivism and found family, through thoughtfully crafted characters. The characters consist of Carol (Eva Scott) a mechanic who doubles as the assured, selfless garage manager. Terry (Sia Kiwa), a radical and restless firecracker of the team, who is caught in a will-they-won’t-they romance with fellow mechanic Bev (Nancy Brabin-Platt), who desires a slightly quieter, more domestic life. Their ditzy young apprentice, Dipstick (Lucy Mackay), and curious ‘heterosexual’ southerner, Feona (Georgina Coram), with occasional cameos from drummer/associate musical director Liz Kitchen, multi-rolling as a host of hilarious characters.

While the entire cast were joyful, dynamic and entertaining, I would like to highlight a couple of particular favourites. Eva Scott’s portrayal of Oldham-born Carol was delightfully understated, with her solo song in Act 2 speaking to the quiet strength of holding the entire garage together. I have seen the warmth, generosity and passion of the Lesbian community firsthand, and Carol reminded me of the gentle kindness, care and warmth of many butch lesbians I knew when living in Manchester. I would have loved to see Carol’s character explored beyond her care for others, as I feel we didn’t really get to know too many of her wants and desires outside of the garage.

Another highlight was Lucy Mackay as Dipstick, who had such natural charm and comedic presence that the audience were compelled to root for them despite her misgivings. Georgia Coram navigated the huge personal transformation of newcomer Feona with compassion and nuance. I adored how easily she was welcomed by the other characters, and thoroughly enjoyed watching their found family develop onstage.

The lesbian representation was never stereotypical, and Hallet’s script afforded each character a chance to grow, and take responsibility for their actions. While the narrative in Act 1 was sometimes slightly static, and lacked the typical over-the-top drama you may expect from a musical, this allowed the audience time to get to know the characters as people before introducing much conflict or political protest.

Additionally, I enjoyed the moments of political satire, with many a Thatcher impression, alongside some clever prop details (such as a Tory newspaper only having the words “blah blah blah” written on it). I commend director Jelena Budimir and set designer Sarah Jane Booth for their attention to detail and comedy. I also want to commend lighting designer Callum MacDonald for their brilliant attention to detail, using a mix of stage and diegetic lighting to enhance the atmosphere of each scene. 

The show boasted 15 original songs (by Val Regan and Nicky Hallet) in a range of musical styles, with lovely harmonies by the company. The band were also hugely musically talented and in-sync, much a result of the talents of musical director, Val Regan. However, narratively some of the songs felt as if they occurred slightly randomly, without dramatic reason and rehashed the action of the scene without adding a pivotal emotional climax. 

Much of the second act focuses on protests against Section 28 – a clause that banned local authorities from promoting homosexuality – with each character getting involved in their own way. There are acts of protest in both the political and personal sense. Chants such as ‘Lesbian Mothers are not pretending’ unleash a wonderfully collective spirit – contrasting with various characters’ domestic lives becoming uprooted due to their identification with the Lesbian community in light of this clause. I enjoyed watching the characters learn how to commit to a cause, and to each other. 

I found the musical particularly important as a younger queer person, growing up in a widely accepting time. In modern times we have somewhat forgotten what a risk it was to be queer in Britain (Homosexuality is still illegal in 62 countries), and with global politics trending ever more towards the right this show is achingly relevant today. I enjoyed learning about queer, working-class, northern history in such an entertaining and empathetic way. 

Overall, Gwenda’s Garage was evidently a labour of love. It was a truly joyful and nuanced show that had the audience bopping along to the songs and feeling for the characters’ trials and tribulations while becoming invested in their community and found family.

Gwenda’s Garage runs at Southwark Playhouse Borough until November 29.

Photo: Chris Saunders