Calendar Girls The Musical

After a break due to the loss of their usual performance venue it was so good to see South Moor MTG managing to get a full scale musical production back on stage. Despite their new venue presenting them with additional issues regarding access and space they overcame and put on a production to be proud of.

Calendar Girls puts the friendship of ordinary women front and centre, a group of ladies who in the cosy space of a village hall support each other through the ups and downs of life. The opening number “Yorkshire” was a strong opening to the show with rousing vocals from the whole cast set against a colourful countryside backdrop which remained throughout the show. The rest of the set depicting the village hall, hospital, flower shop and various homes were made by the stage manager Gareth Stones and worked very well. The live seven piece band were excellent, the brass is an important feature of this score and it didn’t disappoint.

Andrew Howe is such a versatile performer and was great as John, Annie’s husband, he sympathetically portrayed John’s progressive illness and how he found beauty of life even in the darkest of circumstances. Rod, Chris’s husband was portrayed with humour and tenderness by Nick Goddard and Ian Mordue as the photographer Lawrence gave him an embarrassed but supportive character with some great silent reactions. The other husbands Colin and Denis (Malcolm Quinn and Jim Arden) along with Rod gave good support throughout and their “Girls” number opening Act 2 was well received.

There was some great work from younger cast members Erin Kellegher, Raigan Dickinson and Kieran Vipond as teenagers Jenny, Tommo and Danny, who all have their own problems to deal with. They all gave confident performances and “Drunken Danny” was very well portrayed. Lauren Garforth gave a strong performance as Marie who is horrified by the potential damage the calendar could do to her WI’s reputation. The cameo roles of villagers (Peter Garforth and Glen Martin), Lady Cravenshire (Lisa Barnes) and the two Miss Wilsons (Nina Collins and Kay Armstrong) were well performed and the surprise “turn around” by the Wilson ladies in the calendar scene was a standout moment – hilarious, well done ladies!

Last but certainly not least, “the girls” in this production gave us an authentic and moving portrayal of this strong friendship group who were united in their support of each other.  As social diva Celia, Claire Greathead portrayed a character who had appearances to keep up and Catherine Salkeld gave us the gentle soul that is self-conscious Ruth who finds inner strength with her “Russian friend”. Barbara Waugh as Jessie, the retired teacher with a playful but sharp edge and the matriarch of the friendship group, gave a super performance with great one liners. As the well-intentioned but slightly tormented mum Cora, Kirsty May gave a strong believable character and had a good rapport with her on stage son Tommo,  Lyndsay Kellegher as the bereaved but undefeated Annie provided the sad moments with beautiful sensitivity, her emotion was tangible in the scenes with John and the aftermath of his loss and she also had a lovely bond with her best friend Chris.The rebellious spirit that is Chris rallying the other women in her outlandish ideas was very well portrayed by Gill Wilde, this is probably the most complex character to portray and she did a great job. The number “For One Night Only” where the girls strip for the calendar was very well done and extremely emotional, each member got a rousing round of applause during the reveal which was well deserved – so much respect for you ladies.

The performance was dedicated to Bill Readman, former Chairman and President and as the group describe him the “main man”, and a fitting tribute it was. I know Bill would be so proud of you all and I’m sure he was there in spirit, he’d never miss a show.

Congratulations to Joan, John and their support team for a super show, your hard work paid off.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.