Lynn Faces, New Diorama. Photo Dom Moore

The opening song of the newly formed, chronically under-rehearsed punk band Lynn Faces is called Snazzy Cardigan. While not exactly a punk theme, it's conversely more because it subverts the genre stereotype. 

Lynn Faces, the play (with songs), is also punk in that it's about a woman attempting to break away from a toxic relationship. Rather than 'smash the Government', band founder Leah (Madeleine MacMahon) is learning to break away from her coercive, controlling boyfriend Pete. 

The play is set on stage during the band's first gig, where they start off wearing masks of the face of Lynn from Alan Partridge. Lynn, to Leah, is a symbol of someone who has more going on beneath the surface if only given a chance. 

Between the songs with their wonky timing and strange array of percussion instruments played by Shonagh (Millie Faraway), there is bickering and arguments about what to play next, unplanned 'crowd work' fillers and storming off to make angry phone calls.

The story of how and why the band formed is revealed, and tension slowly builds as Leah looks in danger of being sucked back into the toxic Pete loop, much to the exasperation of friend and keyboard player Ali (Peyvand Sadeghian).