Calendar Girls

This story of the group of Yorkshire WI ladies who decide to break with tradition and produce an “alternative” calendar to raise funds for a new settee for the relatives room at Skipton General Hospital is well known through the film of the same name and Gary Barlow’s musical. Under the faultless direction of Lesley Mitchell the cast of EADS production brought us an exemplary retelling of their story running the full gambit of emotions from laughter to sadness to tears to embarrassment and finally celebration. The action mainly takes place in the Knapely Church Hall, on a beautifully designed and built box set by Sandy and Jan Duncan, which anyone who has ever been in such a hall would instantly recognise. The six main ladies worked extremely well as a team and the relationships between them were truly believable. Natalie Munro as out spoken, go-getter florist’s wife Chris was outstanding as she led and coerced the other ladies into achieving their goal. So too was Julie Gray as her best friend Annie, whose husband John’s death from leukaemia was the catalyst for their endeavours, who portrayed her journey from caring wife to widow with great sensitivity. Leslie Oman was excellent as single mother and church organist Cora whose bohemian outlook added much to the humour in the piece. Janice Anderson as retired teacher Jessie was another who gave an excellent portrayal as she added the voice of sanity with her often pithy comments. Bev Chapman and Amy Lowe as the contrasting characters Celia (confident, upwardly mobile golf widow) and Ruth (young, dowdy and insecure) too gave very strong performances and the scene in which Ruth confronts her cheating husband’s mistress received rousing cheers from the audience. Adrienne Lean was a natural as the bossy WI Chairwoman Marie, commanding the stage at her every entrance. Sandy Duncan gave an exceptional portrayal of Annie’s husband John as he faced his diagnosis and looming death with the typical stoicism of a Yorkshire man. Grant Dobson as hospital porter and amateur photographer Lawrence, tasked with taking the photographs for the calendar, was another who gave a very strong performance with his facial expressions of embarrassment when faced by the naked ladies being priceless. Strong support was given by Ian Glover (Rod, Chris’s florist husband), Donna Ettles (Brenda, visiting speaker), Alison Miller (Lady Cravenshire, WI National Chairwoman), Katy Rodway Swanson (Elaine, Beauty Therapist and Ruth’s nemesis) and Aidan Hyndman (Liam, TV producer). Congratulation to all at EADS on a superb production fully deserving of the extended applause from the full house audience.

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