Red Bus Londinium Life

The Gardening Club is currently playing a sell out run at the New Wimbledon Theatre as part of its fifth New Premieres season. Stirring much excitement in Edinburgh, where Act One was launched, such is the interest that an additional one-off performance (with additional online option) has been added in the main Wimbledon space in November.

Set in late 1960s Georgia in the USA, and loosely based in fact, the musical introduces us to a group of women who form a secret drug ring to illegally distribute the birth control pill, using a gardening club as a cover. Difficult issues such as the right to choose, the right to sexual freedom and the right to contraceptive choice are covered with both humour and pathos. It is alarming, nearly sixty years later, how relevant the issues remain.

The book, lyrics and music are by Carleigh McCritchie and Bella Wright, two Americans who met at Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA). LIPA are sponsors of the current production.

McRitchie and Wright have created a score redolent of the era and peppered with ear worms. The opening number snaps the audience to attention and the energy never dips, with songs that are well matched for the world they’ve created. A few lyrics do get lost in the mix (perhaps the sound design isn’t quite at its final polish) but the song-writing shines through regardless.

There’s plenty happening beneath the central storyline, with just enough side threads to keep the characters vivid and the pace lively. The personal histories and small detours not only hold our attention but also sketch a revealing portrait of the era, giving the main plot extra depth and texture as it moves forward. Director Tara Noonan keeps the pace tight and the action clear, while Aimee Leigh’s choreography brings moments of inventive flair. Evie Jones’s set makes creative use of the space, with varied levels and distinct stage areas each serving a different purpose within the story.

The cast of “gardeners” deliver performances rich with warmth and courage, some revealing flashes of real pain beneath their public-facing exteriors. Their bravery stands in sharp relief against a backdrop of men who often drip with chauvinism, making the few respectful male characters all the more striking and appealing.

This is a show with heart, humour and a streak of rebellion. It will be exciting to see the next steps in its development journey.

[Thank you to New Wimbledon theatre for the gifted tickets for an honest review].