Calendar Girls

Martyrs Players’ recent production of Calendar Girls was a heartfelt and humorous evening of theatre that struck just the right balance between laughter and poignancy. Under the capable direction of Kim Cooper, the cast brought warmth, energy, and sincerity to Tim Firth’s well-loved script, creating a memorable night for all in attendance. 

The story of Calendar Girls relies heavily on strong ensemble performances, and this production was certainly well cast. Each member of the Women’s Institute delivered distinct, believable characters who worked together with real chemistry. Zoey Vickers captured the appropriately supercilious nature of WI Chair Maria with ease, her performance neatly reflecting the character’s social pretensions and small-town snobbery. 

Joyce Willis was a delight as Jessie, her dry delivery and off-the-cuff comedic timing bringing frequent laughs. As Celia, Catherine Eaton gave a vibrant and vampish performance that was both playful and charismatic. Rachael Ashworth was equally entertaining as Cora—her comedic instincts were sharp, and her singing moments were a highlight of the evening. 

Kathryn Sinclair’s Annie had real emotional depth, especially in her touching and believable scenes with Chris. The arguments between the two characters were well-acted and authentic. As Chris, the driving force of the calendar campaign, she gave a confident performance with excellent comic timing. Her gung-ho nature was infectious and brought great energy to the stage. 

Maria Carnegie’s portrayal of Ruth was wonderfully nuanced. She began with an air of innocent nervousness that gradually gave way to strength and self-assurance—a transformation that was handled with sensitivity and subtlety. 

The men of the cast provided strong and supportive performances that helped ground the play. Darren Cooper, as John, gave a particularly moving portrayal of his character’s journey through illness. He brought great dignity and emotional truth to the role, creating a touching and understated presence that lingered throughout. 

The staging was simple yet effective, with the church hall setting working well. The garden area at the front of the stage was a lovely touch and cleverly used. While a few of the blackouts and scene changes were on the long side—likely a result of the small venue—these were generally handled well, and didn’t detract too much from the pacing of the piece. 

Technically, there were occasional drops in volume which made some dialogue difficult to catch, but these moments were rare. Overall, the production achieved a tone that was touching without ever becoming overly sentimental—a difficult task that deserves credit. 

There were also some charming extras that added to the evening’s atmosphere. The cast produced their own version of the iconic calendar, with proceeds going to a local charity, and the gift of sunflower seeds for audience members was a lovely and thoughtful gesture. 

All in all, Martyrs Players’ Calendar Girls was a thoroughly enjoyable and touching production. Congratulations to the entire team, both on stage and behind the scenes, for a job very well done. 

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