Calendar Girls

This was my first visit to a Water Lane Theatre Company production and I was impressed by the welcome received from Carys Sullivan and her team of front of house volunteers.  It was also nice to meet Deborah Cain, in her debut role as Director of this iconic play, adapted for the stage by Tim Firth, from his 2004 stellar Miramax feature film "Calendar Girls", co-written with Juliette Towhidi and starring Julie Walters and Helen Mirren.

We are all familiar with the heart-warming story of Annie and best friend Chris, both members of Knapeley WI in the Yorkshire Dales, who resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital visitors room, following the untimely death of Annie's husband John from Leukaemia.  They manage to persuade four fellow WI members to pose nude with them for an "alternative WI calendar", despite opposition from their WI chairwoman, Marie.  The calendar is a run-away success and news of their charitable venture becomes national, whilst all the pressures of the resultant publicity and celebrity test Chris and Annie's friendship to the limit.

There was a buzz of excitement and expectation from the audience as the curtain opened on a delightful set, designed by John Johnson-Cook, with a backdrop depicting the Yorkshire Dales.  The various "scenes" took us from John's hill, where we first meet the ladies of the WI, to the interior of the church hall, where most of the play's action takes place, including the setting for the various camera shots for the calendar and, untimately, to the annual WI conference in London, simply devised by use of a speaker's rostrum in front of the main stage curtains, with suitable sound and lighting effects from John Bell.

Deborah Cain had chosen her cast well and all gave tremendous performances.  Lisa Turpcu as "Chris" in her first acting role with the company, gave us a very true reflection of the character, with all the feistiness and driving force behind the venture coming through in spades!  Amanda Green, as her best friend "Annie", was exemplary in her role, made all the more poignant by the fact of losing her own husband Cliff to cancer in 2001.  The death scene, with Granville Rush as "John", was particularly moving.  Great supporting roles, too, from Rachel Leung as "Cora"; Nancy Jones as "Celia"; Philippa Hanson as "Ruth" and Pam Johnson-Cook as "Jessie".  These were all very brave ladies to have agreed to pose "nude" on stage and the scenes with photographer "Lawrence", well-played by Paul Dodkins, were hilariously funny and yet tastefully done.  Joanne Heath gave a fine performance as the suitably shocked traditional Knapeley WI Chair "Marie", as did Richard Pink, as "Chris"'s stoical husband "Rob".  Completing the cast were Nicki Maguire as "Brenda Hulse"(WI guest speaker on broccoli); Rebecca Faulkner as "Elaine" ("Ruth"'s husband "Eddie"'s little bit on the side); Pat Bastin as "Lady Cravenshire" (the WI annual fete's baking competition judge) and Chris Hill as "Liam" (the washing powder commercial guy!)

With delicious refreshments provided by the local WI, raffle in aid of St. Clare Hospice and a professional style programme, poster and ticket designed by Reg Villan, this was a memorable evening's entertainment for a very worth cause.  Well done to all involved with this production.

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