This novel which is set in 2002 is about a young Irish woman, Mairéad Sweeney, who has moved to London to work in a West End Theatre’s wardrobe department, where her long hours are spent mending, washing and running errands. She doesn’t really fit in and is subject to bullying by the show’s producer. She does have ambition but feels stuck.
Later she returns to Ireland for her Grandmother’s funeral and begins to understand the reasons for her past choices and what she must do to change herself and her future.
Although well written and recommended for readers who enjoy books by authors such as Louise Kennedy, (whose debut novel Trespasses I adored), for me it didn’t reach the same dizzy heights. The first section of the book gets too bogged down in the minutiae of the clothing repairs Mairéad is required to do. For me it got far more interesting when Mairéad returns to Ireland and the machinations of her family.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Canongate for an ARC

I read this really quickly, it was compelling . The strong characters, the theatrical setting, albeit the seedy background and the fantastic central character made it. I loved the fact she wasn’t a cliched Irish girl in London and the detail about fabric which was literally woven throughout the book. I’d absolutely read whatever else Elaine Garvey comes out with. This really doesn’t read like a first novel. Thank you.

3.5 stars rounded up.

It's 2002 and Mairead has left her family home in the north-west of Ireland and started a new life as a wardrobe assistant in a London theatre. Working split shifts in a thankless and unglamorous role with no real friends to speak of and a room in a house share, it's far from what she dreamed of.

It's clear early on that Mairead offers everyone else as little grace as she gives herself, we only start to learn how and why she came to be this way in the second half of the book.

I struggled a lot with this initially, finding it hard to be thrust into the headspace of someone who feels so overlooked and is so wrong-headedly sure of other people's motives.

However, I found the minutiae of life at the theatre fascinating, so that kept me reading, and I'm glad of it because everything did come together very well at the end.

Thanks to Net Galley and Canongate for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

There are some powerful moments in this short novel about a young Irishwoman working in the wardrobe department of a London theatre. Mairead is lonely and lacks confidence and still finding her place in the workplace. About half way through her grandmother dies and she returns to Ireland for the funeral. She has a difficult relationship with her parents as well. At first I wasn’t sure whether there was much going on but in the end it’s quite moving.

This novel takes place over a period of eleven days, at various times in Mairead's life during her time working in the wardrobe department of a theatre in London.
Mairead has escaped to London from Ireland, looking to find herself. Her insecurities about the way she looks and how she feels is beautifully described, while she tries to find her place and fit in with various characters back of house in the theatre. The character descriptions and the atmosphere in the theatre, which is slightly run down and threadbare, are palpable, as is her sense of dislocation in her place of work as well as in the boarding house where she lives. She spends her days arranging shoe repairs, hand washing and sewing, an occupation that is far from glamorous.

A phone call from her family sees her returning home to Ireland. Amongst the familiar and uncomfortable structures of her life in Ireland, as well as the relationships with her family, she learns to deal with change and embrace the possibilities of living a new life.

This snapshot of Mairead's life is really evocative. I could sense the lack of confidence in both herself and her job, and was able to build up a picture of her and the somewhat seedy atmosphere of the theatre.. It's a lovely and satisfying read, with a hopeful ending!

WIth thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I found this to be almost two stand alone books with the 1st book taking place in London where Mairead is a struggling theatre wardrobe assistant from Southern Ireland. Book 2 sees her back home due to a family matter. I was at a bit of a loss what the relationship was between the two. Busy vibrant London then laid back country Ireland. Interesting ending.

Short but densely packed with character and description of a young Irish girl on the cusp of life but working in a menial role backstage in a theatre. Stylish.

An evocative and sensitive book with some great dialogue. A young Irish woman details her life in 2001 London, the minutiae of her work in the wardrobe department of a theatre and the characters she meets. She has to return home for a funeral, and the family dynamics are beautifully observed, as is the fraught mother-daughter relationship.

The Wardrobe Department by Elaine Garvey

In the early 2000s in London, young Irish girl Mairead works as a costume mender in a theatre. Painfully quiet and lacking in confidence, we begin to understand Mairead's background when she returns to Ireland for her grandmother's funeral.

The author does a fantastic job of conveying Mairead's awkwardness and the awfulness of most of the other characters! For a small novella this packs a punch in terms of themes. I particularly liked the observations on class, for example we are told that Mairead had not realised the advantages of being brought up in a piano-owning home... oh my goodness, how to do so much with so few words! Very highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

The Wardrobe Department by Elaine Garvey:

In 2002 London, Mairead works behind the scenes at West End theatre. She encounters sexism, racism and a family crisis whilst working on Uncle Vanya.

If it sounds like a slight premise, you’d be right. The novel is a slight 167 pages and there’s not enough narrative to pad it out any further. There is no resolution or revelation to close out the novel. Mairead’s family crisis (the death of her grandma) mirrors that of the death of The Queen Mother. There’s also a nod towards 7/7.

As a character, Mairead doesn’t feel lived in, she’s not etched as anything other than a ball of tension. The others - passive aggressive artistic director, radfem director, randy older actor - don’t come across as anything but stereotypes. Plus, the nods to Checkov seem elusive, rather than allusive.

In short, it’s not dynamic enough to be a literary novel and it’s not sprightly enough to be sad girl lit. It’s published by Canongate on February 13th, 2025 and I thank them for a preview copy. #thewardrobedepartment

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

An enjoyable short read, but not one that stands out. I found it very slow to start and to gain my interest, but I did enjoy the family exploration and those elements more so than when Mairead was in London.

Elaine Harvey's The Wardrobe Department is a delight. Mairéad, who works in the costume department of a theatre, is insecure and finds it difficult to make friends. She washes and repairs clothes. For novelists, the backstage of theatre has always been a rich source, and I always find it enjoyable. Highly recommended.

In London's bustling theatre scene, where egos clash and creativity thrives, Elaine Garvey's original debut novel "The Wardrobe Dept" pulls back the curtain on a little explored world. Set in 2002, this meticulously crafted tale follows Mairéad, an insecure, talented young Irish costume designer whose journey from backstage anonymity to self-discovery proves captivating.
Garvey's attention to detail immediately draws readers into the unfamiliar behind-the-scenes activities at a major theatre. Through Mairéad's eyes, we experience the daily routines of dressing actors, maintaining delicate garments, and navigating the high-pressure entertainment environment, all the while surrounded by ambitious team mates, luvvies and bullies.
What sets this novel apart is its nuanced exploration of belonging. Mairéad, despite her natural talent and dedication, remains an outsider. Her Irish accent marks her as different, making her an easy target for both well-meaning banter and more pointed jabs. Garvey deftly weaves these moments of casual prejudice into the narrative, showing how even seemingly harmless teasing can gradually erode one's sense of self.
The story takes a dramatic turn when Mairéad is summoned back to Ireland, against her will, following her grandmother's death. Here, Garvey masterfully peels back the layers of Mairéad’s life, revealing uncomfortable family dynamics, a lost love, and parental disharmony that drove her away.
This is not a novel that rushes to its conclusion. Instead, it rewards patient readers with a richly textured narrative that builds to an intriguing resolution. Mairéad's gradual transformation from someone who shrinks from conflict to a woman who learns to claim her space is subtly and satisfyingly delivered.
Garvey has created a protagonist so real and appealing that readers will find themselves thinking about her long after they've turned the final page. This accomplished debut proves that sometimes the most heart-tugging narratives take place not on the stage, but in the quiet moments behind it.

The Wardrobe Department by Elaine Garvey is an atmospheric and nuanced novel with sharply drawn characters and an involving plot.

“If I had two rooms to live in, I would spend my days believing I should be in the other one.”

In The Wardrobe Department, by Elaine Garvey (UK Release 13th Feb 2025) we are delivered to 2002, and the story of Mairéad, a young Irish woman who works in a small London Theatre. Creative and skilled, she’s finding her first job unglamourous: the costumes are in a constant state of disrepair, torn, stained, and stinking. In the cramped confines of the theatre it’s difficult to avoid the patronising and predatory cast and crew, and the show’s resident tyrant, Oliver, the producer of the current play. Charismatic, overbearing, and vindictive, he’s best avoided by the technical staff.

Mairéad feels out of place, at a sharp remove from her immediate colleagues. She imagines they sneer at her, seeing her as an ignorant yokel at loose in the big city. Aggrieved at this, she’s oblivious of her own shallow preconceptions about their lives.

Contact with her family in Ireland is minimal. It’s clear she’s come to London to escape something, to renew herself, feeling that she was out of place there too, but her loneliness has brought her to place of statis.

Everything she tried to leave behind still has a hold on her, distant voices berating and dismissive, fuelling her fears and self-doubt. If it’s better to be less visible – unnoticed and unattractive, a survival technique in a world of powerful, handsy men – what’s to stop you disappearing altogether?

A trip back to Ireland might provide a chance for Mairéad to look her history in the eye and understand what brought her here.

Mairéad is complex and convincing, and her story is told with persuasive acuity. Elaine Garvey has gifted each of her characters with assured nuance. Their words and actions allow us to build out their dimensions. She’s equally good at conjouring a sense of place and atmosphere with a light, effective, touch. I found myself delightedly wrongfooted at times by The Wardrobe Department, the plot veering away from the expected to tell a story full of truthful tenderness and hope.

This is a tender short novel where we follow young Mairéad.
She has a challenging home life, and when she visits home, her mother and she reconnect on a new level, with her mother’s revelation.
Mairéad returns to London, and she views life in a different light.

I loved Mairéad.
Overall, this was more of a 3.5 star read for me.
Despite loving the main character, the story did not fully appeal to me.

I enjoyed this one, but it isn't one that will stand out.
The main character never really formed themselves in my mind despite picturing the scenarios in the book.
Came more to life when the family got involved.

What a gorgeous read.

Mairéad works in a theatre's costume department washing and mending clothes, she isn't filled with confidence and making friends is hard for.

She returns to Ireland for her grandmother's funeral. We discover her homelife is not that great and soon realise why Mairead finds life difficult.

While at home her mother reveals a scret and Maireads life changes.

This wonderful read is just divine. I loved Mairead, I found a lot of myself in her so really connected.

It is a heartfelt tale and although at times quite sad and emotive I think the end Mairead came out ok

Mairéad works in a theatre's costume department in London. We don't know why she left Ireland, although we know she's lonely and binge eating. During the day she washes and mends clothes and runs to the cobblers. The other girls seem very worldly. Her overtures at friendship are rejected. She has to deal with creepy men at work and a bullying producer. In the second part of the book, the action moves to Ireland as Mairéad has to dash home for her grandmother's funeral. A complicated family and home life is revealed: an ex boyfriend who's now engaged; a father who bullies her and the wife who despises him. As she prepares to return to London, Mairéad's mother makes a confession.
Ultimately redemptive and uplifting, the book vibrates with spirit and determination among the strong female characters. A very distinctive new voice in Irish fiction.

As someone who has a fashion background in addition to my library work Inreally enjoyed this look into the fashion industry at such an instrumenting history. Very enjoyable! A great read if you have an interest in design