The Gardening Club is a new musical written by two young creatives, Carleigh McRitchie and Bella Wright, which makes its ambition and novelty more impressive. Set in the 1960s, the show follows a group of young women who form a club to discuss and champion their beliefs about women’s rights, access to abortion, the pill, and female autonomy, whilst navigating their individual romantic and sexual awakenings.
The concept is intriguing and pertinent, and it has a relevant and warm message. Few other productions have the courage to delve into this area. The Gardening Club does this with humour and sprinkles of sentiment, complimented by its charm.
However, the show still feels like a work-in-progress. While some songs are layered with sharp humour, especially those exploring sex, the overall structure feels messy at times. Technical issues also disrupted the performance last night, such as malfunctioning microphones which left some dialogue inaudible, lighting flickering unintentionally, and scene transitions that seemed incomplete. Although it should be noted that they did only have their tech rehearsal that day, but these hiccups nonetheless affected the flow and rhythm.
The cast commit with passion and heart, and there are moments of strong harmony which demonstrates potential. However, the tech problems made it difficult for the cast and story to fully gel. The choreography, though occasionally feeling a bit haphazard, has an endearing energy and charm.
The Gardening Club is an evolving piece of theatre, and with some focused work it could grow into something quite noteworthy. Its heart and message is there and already shines through, it just needs the time and work to bloom.
** Two stars
Reviewed by: Alexandra Tullah
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