Writer: Nicky Hallett
Music: Val Regan
Director: Jelena Budimir
Women are certainly doing it for themselves in Nicky Hallett and Val Regan’s Gwenda’s Garage: The Musical, a celebration of lesbian activism and car mechanics set in the 1980s. Based on a true story, this two-hour musical, staged at Southwark Playhouse, is also a hymn to Sheffield – described in the show as ‘the lesbian capital of the north’ – a place of solidarity and community. Hallett and Regan wear their hearts on their sleeves in a cosy story that describes more prejudice and limitations than actually apply to the characters’ lives, but returning women’s stories to the narratives of post-industrial Britain is vital in creating new understanding of this era of enormous change.
Gwenda’s Garage, run by Carol, is a young business in 1984, just after the Miners’ Strike. As the men return to work, Bev, Terry and their trainee “Dipstick” utilise all of the opportunities to learn their trade. When teacher Feona wanders in one day, she finds a haven, and new to Sheffield, becomes a regular and friend of the crew. But as the government starts to target sexuality and freedom of expression, things get complicated for Bev as she tries to adopt a child, while Terry, Feona and Dipstick turn to more serious activism, leaving Carol to run the business alone.
Taking place across two fairly equal acts, Gwenda’s Garage has developed a really great soundtrack that mixes a rousing selection of upbeat numbers with more introspective solos for each of the cast members, many of which have the melodious narrative quality associated with Victoria Wood. And through them, the audience learn a great deal about the individuals and their personal demons, from Terry’s (Sia Kiwa) deliberate isolationism in Family of One to Feona’s (Georgina Corum) discovery of herself in I’m Only Passing and particularly Carol’s (Eva Scott) struggle to make her garage viable in Holding it Together.
Although there is rather a lot of them, the only time the songs falter is the Act One finale, The Bigots’ Chorus, choosing to leave the garage setting for Parliament, the only number not sung by the core group and a strange choice to take the story into the interval. The story structure is largely positive, with only Bev (Nancy Brabin-Platt) experiencing any real adversity when her adopted children are removed based on her sexuality, something she feels the need to conceal for much of the story, and the story jumps through at least four years fairly rapidly.
But Hallett and Regan could show more impact on the other characters as well; was it harder for Carol to drum up work because of her sexuality? Does Feona suffer any negative consequences as a teacher for divorcing her husband and finding a new path? And are opportunities shut down for the women just because of who they are? They talk about Section 28, they discuss the unfairness of Thatcher’s policy, and they march with placards, but there could be more jeopardy woven into the characterisation, which would make their resilience and ability to overcome all the more joyful.
Nonetheless, the cast is excellent, the vibe positive, and the takeaways clear – women have had to create their own chances in the world, and the mechanics of Gwenda’s Garage paved the way.
Runs until 29 November 2025
