Imagine signing up for a car maintenance course, only to find yourself on an unexpected journey of self-discovery and family healing. That’s the premise of Fixing, a delightful solo show written and performed by Matt Miller, now playing at Alphabetti Theatre in Newcastle.
A Mechanic’s Guide to Life
Our workshop leader is the colorful Natalie Spanner, a character Miller embodies with comedic flair. Sporting blue overalls and pink heels, Natalie is equal parts auto mechanic and life coach, dispensing wisdom about “holistic car care” alongside innuendos about pistons and dipsticks.
But beneath the camp jollity lies a poignant metaphor: maintaining a classic car, Natalie suggests, is not unlike nurturing our most precious relationships. Neglect leads to rust, seized-up components, and faded memories of what once was.
Childhood Memories and Black Beauty
As the audience participates in silly car-themed games, Miller weaves in bittersweet flashbacks to a 1990s childhood. Donning a retro Mars Attacks! sweatshirt, they recount weekends spent with their dad and sister Ruby in a ramshackle Crookhill home, finding adventure amidst divorce and disrepair.
Central to these memories is Black Beauty, the family’s beloved 1954 Sunbeam Talbot. More than just a vehicle for leisurely outings, the classic car becomes a symbol of the bond between Miller and their father—a man who could express love more easily through shared mechanical hobbies than heartfelt words.
Fixing is thinking of broken family bonds glued back together with visible scars, like Japanese kintsugi pottery.
Queer Culture Meets Grease Monkeys
Co-created with director Peader Kirk, Fixing is a novel collision between queer culture and the traditionally macho world of mechanics. Miller navigates this juxtaposition with charm and precision, equally adept at cheeky audience interaction and vulnerable character moments.
While the play’s emotional depths could be plumbed further, and its heights of joy more fully celebrated, Fixing remains a tender, funny, and refreshingly unique theatrical experience. Like a lovingly maintained vintage car, it may have a few dings and quirks, but that only adds to its enduring appeal.
Lessons in Love and Maintenance
As the journey concludes, Natalie Spanner’s automotive metaphors linger in the mind:
- Relationships, like cars, require regular care and maintenance to keep running smoothly
- Expressing love through shared interests can be just as meaningful as spoken words
- Embracing imperfections and visible “repairs” can lead to a richer, more authentic bond
So next time you pop the hood or change the oil, take a moment to reflect on the important people in your life. Are you giving those connections the tune-up they deserve? Fixing is a gentle, humorous reminder to never leave love idling too long in the garage.
Fixing plays at Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle, until November 23. Don’t miss this delightful and unexpectedly moving solo show that will make you rethink your relationship with your mechanic – and your loved ones.
