Sunderland Empire – until Saturday 23 March 2019
5*****
Not even a technical fault, causing the curtain to go down for a few minutes, could spoil the joy that is Calendar Girls on its first night in Sunderland.
With the current cast almost at the end of their run, there are no signs of tiredness. The show is still as fresh as when I first saw it back in August. Although the cast have very much grown into their roles, giving nuisances and depth to their portrayals.
No one could have predicted 20 years ago what the members of the Rylstone and District WI would achieve – doing a nude calendar to raise funds to hopefully buy a sofa, resulted in raising over five million. With a film, a play and now a musical all helping to boost the coppers of this fund.
Written by Tim Firth with music and lyrics by Gary Barlow, we follow the story of Annie (Anna Jane Casey) whose husband John (Phil Corbitt) is diagnosed and then dies of leukemia. Her friend Chris (Rebecca Storm) comes up with the idea of doing a tasteful nude calendar to raise funds and the fellow members of the WI – Cora (Karen Dunbar), Ruth (Sara Crowe), Jessie (Pauline Daniels) and Celia (Denise Welch) – slowly come round to her mad idea. However WI Chair Marie (Nikki Gerrard stepping in for Fern Brittain) is against the idea but come around in the end.
The second act builds up to the big shoot becoming a means of overcoming issues such as grief, age or physical self-consciousness. The shoot and the nudity are handled with warmth and charm, with a joy that brings huge cheers from the audience at every flash (from the camera!). The women bare their bodies in a hugely empowering way proving whatever size, shape or age – everyone is beautiful.
Robert Jones set design manages to resemble a church hall complete with an old school piano and wooden chairs; a hospital waiting room with uncomfortable seating, and a village green all surrounded by the backdrop of Yorkshire’s rolling hills, its simplicity allows you to focus on the most important part of the play – the characters – and to concentrate on the relationships between the women. Barlow’s music is always catchy and the musical arrangements are a joy to listen to and Firth proves, yet again, just how insightful his incredible writing is.
This show is about celebrating the strength and beauty of women, especially in their last phase “their most glorious”. One of the most beautiful musicals around, this is made especially poignant by being a true story. Make sure you have an endless supply of tissues because by the end there won’t be a dry eye in the house