Calendar Girls

Calendar Girls the Musical should be praised for its blend of humour and heartwarming emotion along with its feel-good factor.  The uplifting story is based on true events and particularly significant in this production was its overwhelmingly realistic cast with strong chemistry and well-executed performances that convey the story's emotional depth of grief, friendship, and resilience.  The music, by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth, effectively serves the narrative, featuring memorable songs that capture the true Yorkshire setting and the characters' relatively normal lives……until the storyline takes a sad twist when Annie’s husband Clarkey has to battle with cancer, but the show continues to be an inspiring, uplifting tale, demonstrating how the women respond to their grief and channel it into raising money for charity as part of a Women’s Institute activity.

The story has the life-long friendship between Chris (Fiona Welburn) and Annie (Nicola Long) as a central feature.  Welburn perfectly captured the well-meaning friend who inadvertently drags Annie into many scrapes along the way.  With great comedic timing Welburns onstage relationships with not just Annie, but also her husband, Rod (Dean Watson) and son Danny (Macauley Welburn) were funny and moving and her angst as a wife, mother and a friend were well executed.  Welburn beautifully delivered the powerful song "Sunflower" about remembrance, hope, and love.  Long had wonderful emotion as Annie and excellent stage presence whilst delivering some challenging lines in the hospital waiting room and the subtle physical references to the uncomfortable sofa.  During the song “Scarborough” the audience understood that in amongst the great loss of her husband, there were so many things that would challenge her in future, again emphasised with honesty.

Other members of the WI include Celia (former airhostess) played by Kim Dooley-Longbottom who totally owned the part.  Dooley-Longbottom was a perfect Celia with great diction, excellent poise and a wonderful side eye.  “So I’ve Had a Little Work Done” was a high-kicking highlight of the show.  Hannah Gaughan was confident, as single mum, Cora.  She portrayed the strong, direct yet warm nature of the character with gusto and her singing was excellent.  Gaughan coped remarkably when a technical issue caused the loss of music for her number ‘Who Wants a Silent Night?’.  However, this did not detract significantly from the overall quality of the show and her professional approach to continuing acapella should be commended.

Sammie Kissak was an engaging Ruth, with her co-ordinating headbands changing for every outfit.  Kissak created a compelling character – keen to fit in with other WI members, but never quite making the grade,  whilst dealing with an unloving,  philandering husband at home.  Kissack came into her own at the end when her character makes the brave move to dump the husband and bare all for the calendar – wonderful pathos.

The part of Jessie Raistrick was taken by Catherine Webster, who captured the ‘retired headmistress’ persona with great vocals and strong delivery – a very entertaining performance.  Sue Lomas was a wonderfully bossy and bombastic Marie, the Chair of the WI, who is keen to uphold the Jerusalem singing jam making narrative, but who meets her match in the stalwarts of the Knapely branch.  Opening the show Cev Barker as John Clarke gave a lovely rendition of “Another Day in Yorkshire” and was thoroughly believable as the husband of Annie.  He played the part with a touching gentleness whilst also finding the humour in his lines. 

Dean Watson was great as Rod and the scene with his son Danny was very well done.  Macauley Welburn was on form as Danny, worried about his mothers’ antics, whilst also dealing with own hormones as he develops a crush on Jenny – a great performance.  Lollie Casmir as Jenny, the truculent teenage daughter of Marie, never stepped out of character and almost had the audience feeling sorry for her over-bearing mother.  Alex Herron as Tommo was confident and funny whilst Gordon Jacobs as Colin Raistrick struck just the right note as the headteachers husband dedicated to his wife.  Harry Bladon played the cautious hospital porter come photographer with a lovely hesitance whilst dealing with the WI members.  Jessica May Dean (Tea) and Fern Stancliffe (Coffee) as the Misses Wilson brought the house down with their poised refreshment offerings in the calendar scene.

Smaller roles were played with confidence and the ensemble members added to the scenes.  Every member of the cast managed to successfully balance laughter and comedy with the sad and poignant moments, making for a well-rounded emotional experience.

The well-developed musical numbers really came to the fore in the second act.  The comedic and inspiring number ‘One Night Only’, (where the women posing nude for their calendar alongside traditional Women’s Institute pastimes such as knitting, plum jam making and flower arranging) was perfectly executed.  The cast worked well together to deliver this key part of the production perfectly – without dropping any buns! This, followed by the uplifting finale song ‘Sunflowers of Yorkshire’, enabled the show to conclude with a heartwarming number featuring the whole cast.

Costumes, lighting and music were strong and the simple yet effective set worked well in front of the stunning Yorkshire Dales backdrop. Throughout the show the wonderful characters created by the cast ensured it was a highly enjoyable and memorable theatrical experience.    The production had emotional depth and left the audience with an overall positive feeling.  Congratulations to everyone involved, not least the shows Director and Producer, Julie Whitfield and Musical Director Iain Price.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.