Calendar Girls

Based on fact, the plot concerns a WI village group in Yorkshire and its endeavour to raise money in memory of a member’s husband.   The idea was to produce a calendar for local sale in which WI members would appear naked, though tactfully screened, in representation of each month.   In addition to the great comedy that flows from this task there is much to cherish from the wide range of emotions hidden, expressed, explored and accepted by those involved.  

John (Barry Carder), Annie’s husband, had short appearances in Act I, the first quite cheerful, but the last, in a wheel chair saying his goodbyes to Annie in the moments leading up to his death from cancer, was profoundly moving.    Annie (Kathryn Cavender), is determined to support and cooperate in a project, proposed and developed by Chris (Fiona Heaton), to raise money for the purchase of a waiting room sofa at the hospital where John was treated.  Chris, with a tendency to call a spade a bloody shovel when things needed to be moved on, is abundant in enthusiasm to make the project a success.  The relationship between these two is crucial, both in developing the idea into reality and controlling the consequences to them all of its unexpected success: excellent performances from both were well within this need.

Four other ladies decided to be brave, all with their own trepidations but increasingly determined to make a go of this crazy project.  Cora (Brenda White – Robinson), mother, church organist and daughter of the resident vicar came across as one who wanted to break out but duty restricted ambition; Vicky Tearle, as Jessie, the retired school teacher, convinced us that retirement had brought her release from tension and with options appearing; Rosemary Sturgis as Celia gave us a very strong performance as a golf widow, who was not at all averse to glamorising in the company of others.  Ruth, played by Jo Ford was the character who always felt the need to involve herself in what the others did, even if she didn’t always do it very well, since her husband was clearly ‘playing away’.   Her revenge came later when the ‘playmate’, Elaine (delightfully depicted by Ellen Gage) turned up as the make up artist for the group –she didn’t stay long!   Marie, the  local WI President, played by Jackie Walker, showed with absolute conviction that the superiority of the office quite clearly couldn’t allow the Calendar distraction to divert her attention from speakers, posh visitors and WI business.  Visitors, Brenda Hulse, booked to talk on Rhubarb (!) and dignitary Lady Cravenshire, were both well played to character by Yvonne Reynolds and Barbara Tyrell.   Gary Huggins gave us two very good characterisations:  initially that of the very nervous cameraman Lawrence, who quickly decided that photography by remote control would not work, and subsequently Liam, the laid back American TV producer who, in the event, failed to produce anything.   Rod, played by David Lye, was Chris’s husband who, though loving her, had little influence on what she did.

Good settings and lighting helped the show along, with simple changes to represent the different locations, though perhaps the sunflowers in the final scene might have been a little taller.   Costume too was well chosen and I thought Ruth’s non-descript rabbit costume, with ears that wouldn’t stand up, used before she met and dealt with the ‘other woman’, was a good comment on her state of mind.   Five other ladies played further WI members in the ’meeting’ scenes.

This production was very well put together, producing from its large audiences much laughter and many tears in assisting fund raising efforts for the St Helena Hospice Day Centre in Clacton.

Director Ann Mortimer and company both on and off stage deserve very many congratulations.

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