Roe v. Wade was an important case in American history: in January 1973, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Constitution of the United States protected the right of women to terminate her pregnancy (that is, up until the point of ‘fetal viability’, which is simply, the ability of a foetus to survive if it were to be delivered, generally considered to be 23 or 24 weeks in the United States). There’s plenty written about it elsewhere, and this was not predominantly a show about it.
But it is worth pointing out that the ruling was overruled in 2022, thanks to Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, where the court held that the Constitution of the United States doesn’t confer a right to abortion after all. There are differing views on this, though, as far as I can tell, the end result has been widely varied abortion rights from state to state, ranging from legality at all stages of pregnancy to the imposition of blanket bans without exceptions, even for rape, incest, or fatal foetal abnormalities. Of course, one could go to a state with more progressive laws, but equally obviously, this would depend on the woman’s physical condition and her ability to travel.
As far as this production goes, then, it has much going for it, despite the technical challenges on the night. Mind you, there have been worse problems at ‘one night only’ productions before, including one in a West End theatre where substantial numbers of patrons left at the interval because the sound was so off-balanced and jarring they had headaches and ringing in their ears and so on. Emma Espada, as Maggie Martin, should be congratulated for managing to be heard from where I was sitting in the dress circle over what appeared to be a pre-recorded soundtrack (there was no mention of band members in the show’s programme) despite a faulty microphone early in the first half.
With time-hopping and flashbacks all the rage in newer shows these days, it was refreshing to see a story unfold in forward chronological order. There seemed to be an acknowledgement amongst the women that their fight was not necessarily going to be won in their lifetimes, and the show does well to provide an overall picture of the societal expectations of the time and place, namely 1960s Georgia (known for the civil rights movement leader and clergyman Martin Luther King Jr, and the Ray Charles song ‘Georgia on My Mind’, which was adopted in 1979 as the state song of Georgia).
Cliff Watson (Harry Belton), editor of The Savannah Sun, presumably a quarterly publication – there were references to the ‘Spring Edition’ – starts off as being dismissive towards Phoebe Larson (Emma Wallace), putting her in her place as someone who needed to stick to answering phone calls and making drinks for the lads on the team. There’s a Damascene conversion, which I wasn’t wholly convinced by, after which Watson calls on Larson to conduct a piece of investigative journalism. The challenges she encounters in a patriarchal society are as predictable as night follows day, but are necessary inclusions in this all-encompassing portrayal of life as it was from a female perspective.
This musical does not take an ‘all men are bad’ approach, which gives it an added layer of credibility. While Isaac Moore’s Luke Barnes is practically dripping in what would be considered, these days, to be toxic masculinity, Harry Belton’s Cliff Watson is very different. Likewise, the women in the show each have unique characteristics and personality traits. Alas, there’s no ignoring the production’s myriad problems on the night – follow spots weren’t always where they needed to be, lyrics were missed on occasion because the sound wasn’t quite right, and there were projected images onto a large screen, some of which included what I can only assume were scene titles at the top. But from where I was sitting, the top of the screen was obscured by some greenery hanging from the top of the stage. It’s the sort of thing that would be ironed out in previews of a full production run. Still, this well-intentioned show is, as co-writers Carleigh McRitchie and Bella Wright acknowledged in a post-show speech, still at the beginning of its journey. In a world that seems overly slanted towards anger and aggression, this story, told with sensitivity and compassion, deserves a wider audience.
Review by Chris Omaweng
In the golden age of perfect housewives and manicured lawns, five women break through this publicised lie to bring awareness to the dark sides of womanhood. The Gardening Club is a new pop-rock musical based in 1960 Georgia, USA, where a group of women form a secret drug ring to distribute the birth control pill illegally, using a gardening club as a cover-up. A fiery journalist, a brave nurse, the cookie-cutter housewife, and two teenage sisters join forces to do whatever it takes to help the women of Savannah.
CAST
Phoebe Larson – Emma Wallace
Betty Collins – Olivia Taylor-Quinn
Sheila Watson – Hannah Greensmith
Maggie Martin – Emma Espada
Vicki Martin – Lola Garlick
Cliff Watson – Harry Belton
Luke Barnes – Isaac Moore
Miles Bourne – Richie Paisley
Ensemble – Jasmine Bates, Callum Bultitude, Flo Lunnon, Mia Parnaby, Ariana Pérez
PRODUCTION TEAM
Book, music, lyrics and musical direction by Carleigh McRitchie and Bella Wright
Tara Noonan – Director
Aimee Leigh – Choreographer and Intimacy Coordinator
Eli Younger – Orchestrator
Adam Nightingale – Video Designer
Evie Jones – Set Designer
Hannah Danson – Associate Set Designer
Shannon Blackwood – Costume Designer
Bethany Knowles – Company Stage Manager
Ro West – Assistant Stage Manager
Nic Rolland – Student Stage Manager
ATG Staff – Lighting / Sound
THE GARDENING CLUB
Book Tickets for New Wimbledon Theatre
13 November 2025
