Tony Homer reviews SMTC’s “Calender Girls” at the Stratford Playhouse.
A musical about the two Big C’s. Cancer and Calendars.
A musical based on a hugely successful film that was based on a true story about an inspirational group of women raising money for charity. A musical that has Gary Barlow on its song writing credits. This is what SMTC are performing this week, ‘Calendar Girls’. And wow, are they performing it. With only 5 performances at Stratford PlayHouse you don’t really have time to have first night nerves or warm up for later shows. You need to hit the ground running and singing. And this is what the entire company did on Wednesday. Undoubtedly thanks to trusted Director Judi Walton, MD Gary Lewis and Choreographer Kath Walters.
The show begins, ironically, with a boy or rather the husband whose cancer prompts the charity calendar that has spawned a million others (who amongst you hasn’t bought one? Or posed for one maybe?) Christopher Dobson plays John who begins with the recurring motif of ‘Yorkshire’. Enter the wives and the fun begins. ‘Mrs Conventional’ reminds us of the duties, sacrifices and humdrum existence of so many women. But these women all belong to their local Women’s Institute which brings with it a rich camaraderie and playfulness. Bored by talks on broccoli and repeated requests to bake Victoria sponges, it takes the illness of a loved one to prompt the crazy idea for a nude calendar. Forget the traditional views of churches, let’s have views of currant buns on breasts.
Our gang of girls played by Sue Chaperlin (Chris) Jo Pearson (Annie) Lydia Heynes (Cora), Angela Minto (Jessie), Katie Merrygold (Celia) and Nicola Noble (Ruth) must take on the strait-laced, traditional persona of the W.I. as portrayed by Elaine Binks, Chair of the local group. Each woman has their own back story, generally portrayed through their family (special mention for Elle Cowan, Harry Sinclair and Bethany McGoldrick as the children who are learning from their Mum’s experience ) and each has a chance to shine during the show. Annie, John’s wife, brought me to tears with ‘Very Slightly Almost’ as his diagnosis develops. Annie’s best friend Chris provides a power house rendition of ‘Sunflower’. Vicar’s daughter Cora demonstrates through ‘Who Wants A Silent Night?’ that there’s more to life than playing the church organ. Sexy Celia, the former air hostess, brings the house down with ‘So I’ve had a Little Work Done’. Dependable Ruth, goes off the rails with vodka in ‘My Russian Friend and I’. And the pièce de resistance is Mrs Jessie Raistrick, the former teacher, who epitomises the message of this show with her brilliant ‘What Age Expects’. The show culminates in the infamous photo shoot for the calendar and for this alone the cast deserved their ovations.
By the end of the night the lyric ‘One more day in Yorkshire’ made me want to spend more than one day up North.
Sold out for Thursday and Friday, there is still a chance to see Calendar Girls twice on Saturday at The Stratford PlayHouse.
Tony Homer, 8th June 2023
DownstageWrite 
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