“Girls, do play guitars! And bass. And drums.” This brilliant show proves it.
Girls Don’t Play Guitars, which first played at the Royal Court in 2019, is based on the lives and careers of the relatively unknown four-piece female band, The Liverbirds, who were inspired to take on the boys during the pop boom of the early Sixties, not least because they were at its epicentre.
In so doing, they became known in some quarters as the first all-girl rock ‘n’ roll band in the world, paving the way for so many others.
We join The Liverbirds on stage in 1965 playing the self-penned: “Why do you hang around me?” on West German cult TV music programme, Beat-Club, before stepping back a couple of years to see their genesis in Liverpool; personnel and band name changes; and John Lennon’s quip: “Girl’s don’t play guitars.”
In their determination to prove Lennon wrong, they eventually become a hit at The Cavern and toured with future legends, like The Rolling Stones and The Kinks. Yet, failing to land a record deal in England and turning down management offers from Brian Epstein and The Kinks’ Larry Page, they went the way of many Merseybeat bands to hone their craft at Hamburg’s Star Club, where they became an instant attraction.
Their burgeoning fame in Germany and across Europe led to support spots for Chuck Berry, national TV appearances, a string of hit records as well as further fame in Japan. Yet they still went unnoticed back home.
Their story of trying to break down barriers and make music and have a laugh while doing so is beautifully and wittily told by writer Ian Salmon and features fabulous musical performances by the uber-talented quarter of Molly-Grace Cutler as Val; Alice McKenna as Mary; Sarah Workman as Sylvia and Lisa Wright as Pam. In support of them is an excellent male cast, playing various parts including Lennon and McCartney.
Directed by Bob Eaton, who also provides original songs, and with a striking set by Mark Walters, Girls Don’t Play Guitars is as captivating as it is charming and with an emotional final twist.
There’s a sense of what might have been if times had been different; if the girls had received more encouragement and less sexism from that era’s industry male power brokers. As such, it’s a story of a missed opportunity, but with lots of heart. It brings these girls’ power back in the spotlight and really should be toured across the UK so everyone can discover and enjoy ‘the other Fab Four’.
A five star show and should not be missed.
Girls Don’t Play Guitars
Running until Saturday 26 October
Liverpool’s Royal Court
Tickets
Jonathan Caswell
