Full Cast Set for GWENDA’S GARAGE World Premiere at Sheffield Theatre and More

Out of the Archive, in association with Sheffield Theatres, has revealed the cast for the world premiere of GWENDA’S GARAGE, the next big British musical which comes to Sheffield Theatres’ Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse 15-25 October and Southwark Playhouse Borough 30 October - 29 November.

Starring as the three pioneering women mechanics who founded Gwenda’s Garage are Nancy Brabin-Platt (As You Like It and The Tales of Christmas by Charles Dickens, Northern Broadsides; Never Swim Alone, Stone Crabs; In The Shadow of Her Majesty, Gas Money Productions; R&D of Gwenda’s Garage; on screen as Miss Talbot in Doctor Who: Rogue) as Bev; Sia Kiwa (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Original London Cast, West End; The Book of Mormon, West End; Jesus Christ Superstar, UK Arena Tour; Flashdance, West End; Hairspray, West End; Aida, European Tour; Dirty Dancing, West End; The Lion King, West End; on screen in Waterloo Road; Hullraisers; Everything I Know About Love; Coronation Street) as Terry; and Sheffield’s own Eva Scott (A Knight’s Tale, Manchester Opera House; Wonder Boy, Bristol Old Vic & UK Tour; Work It Out, HOME Manchester; Don’t You Know It’s Going to Be Alright by Maxine Peake, Leeds Playhouse; on screen in Arthur’s Whisky, dir. Stephen Cookson; Fool Me Once, EastEnders, Coronation Street) who plays Carol.

They are joined by Lucy Mackay (Sappho, Southwark Playhouse; R&D of Gwenda’s Garage; Ladyfriends, Hope Mill Theatre & Camden People’s Theatre; The Prince of Homburg, The Space; Rage Room, The Lyric Hammersmith; on screen in Sumotherhood, Belstone Pictures) as their mechanic apprentice Dipstick and Georgina Coram (Tango Buenos Aires, City of Dreams, Wild, Cool and Swinging, Invitation To Dance, all Royal Caribbean Productions; Robin Windsor: The Final Act, Theatre Royal Drury Lane) who plays ally Feona.

All other roles are played by Liz Kitchen (Various productions with The RSC, Bubble Theatre, The Everyman, The Watermill, The Chickenshed; Fiddler on the Roof, UK Tour; Sister Act, UK Tour) who also features as the show’s drummer and associate musical director.

Script by Nicky Hallett with music by Val Regan and lyrics by Val Regan in collaboration with Nicky Hallett, this rousing new musical is based on the true story of the real Gwenda’s Garage, founded in 1985 in Sheffield and named after Gwenda Stewart, a record-breaking racing driver in the early 20th century. Ros Wollen (aka Roz), Annette Williams, and Ros Wall defied the odds as mechanics in a male-dominated field. Their garage became a hub for women’s education and activism alongside the day-to-day of car repairs against the backdrop of Thatcher’s Britain, the fight against Section 28 and the fight for women’s and LGBTQ+ rights.

The show roars into London at Southwark Playhouse Borough (30 October - 29 November) after revving up at the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse at Sheffield Theatres (15 - 25 October). 

GWENDA’S GARAGE is a joyful, exuberant, queer, call to arms, fired by fun, feminism, friendship, and above all an affirming belief in the power of collective action.