Calendar Girls to hit Dannevirke stage

The Calendar Girls practising their Heaven On Earth Tai chi motion to the tune Jerusalem as a prelude to the Knapeley Women's Institute monthly meeting.

The Dannevirke Theatre Company is once again hitting the Fountain Theatre stage with a new production featuring predominantly female members in its cast - appropriately entitled Calendar Girls.

The play is a true story about members of a Women’s Institute in the Yorkshire Dales who decide on a different kind of fundraiser which was so successful it has become a global phenomenon.

Following their fame, the story was made into a movie in 2003 and then a stage play in 2009, which opens in Dannevirke on August 2.

When Annie’s husband John dies of leukaemia, she and her best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room.

They manage to persuade other Women’s Institute members to pose discreetly nude with them for an “alternative” calendar, with a little help from hospital porter and amateur photographer Lawrence.

The news of the women’s charitable venture spreads quickly and the calendar sells out prompting a reprint and a flood of press into their small village of Knapeley in the Yorkshire Dales.

With success however, comes challenges with Chris and Annie’s friendship being put to the test under the strain of their newfound fame.

The play follows the experiences of six of the calendar girls, exploring their different motivations for participating, often with hilarious exchanges but also some very sobering realities of life.

It is a show with something for both females and males and is sure to appeal.

Director Davina Graham says setting the events which range from the Church Hall to a hill on the Yorkshire Dales on the Fountain Theatre stage is a challenge but things are well in hand a month out.

Her wardrobe team is busy creating costumes for the seasons as well as the circumstances and a resourceful props team has found or made a range of items essential to the play.

Davina says her very experienced cast is coming together beautifully to present the humour and dramas which unfold.

The Six Calendar Girls are:

Chris – Kirsten Selfe

Annie – Megan Adie

Cora – Mel Silver

Jessie – Birgitta Roulston

Celia – Michelle Walker

Ruth – Ruth Peters

The show opens on Wednesday, August 2 running through to August 6 and August 9-12 at 7.30pm with two matinees on Sunday 6 and Saturday 12 starting at 2pm.

Tickets are on sale at The Dannevirke Information Centre and iTicket.