Calendar Girls

After its successful run professionally, and an internationally renowned film, the musical play “Calendar Girls” was released for a limited run by amateur societies. Northallerton MTC broke from their traditional musical based genre to accept the challenge of this unique opportunity in order to bring this ‘special’ play to the stage. It is unusual not to hear an audience applaud at scene changes, but this is no reflection on the performer’s ability – in fact the opposite.  The audience was so wrapped up in the content, fine acting, humour, pathos and sheer out and out sadness and tragedy during this roller coaster of emotions that applause was neither necessary nor appropriate.

The brave ladies playing the roles of the ‘Calendar Girls’ each had their own characters, from the somewhat mousey Ruth (Susan Edwards), through the retired schoolteacher Jessie (Joan Wilkinson), down-to-earth piano-playing Cora (Ruth Umpleby), trophy wife Celia (Emma Greenhalgh) to the two lifelong friends Annie, (Sue Browne) whose husband John dying prompted the calendar, and Chris, (Andrea Atkinson) the fiery ‘go-get-em’ flower shop owner whose idea the calendar was.  Each of the ‘Girls’ acted superbly, prompting much humour amongst the sadness. Barbara Drew played Marie, the chairman of the Knapely branch of the WI, with flair as her snobbish attitude tried to ingratiate herself with local squire’s wife Lady Cravenshire (Joanne Walker).

Brenda Hulse (Kim Sadler), guest speaker on ‘Broccoli’, Rod, husband of Chris, (James Cornick), Liam, Television producer (Roger Kiddle) and Elaine, makeup artist (Lucille Taylor) each played their smaller roles with believable performances. Lawrence, (Stephen Leahy) played his role of skilful but embarrassed photographer with great aptitude.

Although one of the smallest roles in the play, John (David Sadler) transitioned from loving, but ill, husband into dying from Leukaemia with great compassion. The death scene left the audience in complete silence as they held their breaths and stifled back the tears in their eyes. This was a fine piece of theatre at its very best, and truly deserving of the rapturous applause which did acknowledge their efforts at the end of this very funny, very sad, emotionally draining but overall thoroughly entertaining musical play.  Very Well Done NMTC.

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