Calendar Girls

In her director’s notes for this production Kathy Petrakis commends the “genuine positive spirit” of the rehearsal room and the “honesty, humour and passion” embraced by the cast.

Calendar Girls demands much of its cast, especially those who have to appear partially “nude” on stage. That Petrakis and her cast have approached the production with such positivity is a credit to the power of the play itself, the grit and spirit of female actors – and the challenge of directing a play like this on a stage that is open and so close to the audience.

Petrakis had to do away with the conventional “box set” for this play that is largely set in the meeting room of a Women’s Institute in Yorkshire. Petrakis uses images projected on a wide screen to establish ‘place’ without taking focus from the action – and adds some clever lighting. The only furniture is a piano, a few folding chairs, and some ‘crafty’ props (Michelle Bellamy) used in the calendar shots. The mood and the “power of community” that is the essence of the play is established by the characters themselves.

For the first act, this works well. The mood is “chummy”. There is a sense of understanding, support and togetherness, especially in relation to the haughtiness of WI President Marie. There is also an underlying sense of warmth and humour – the “positive spirit” that Petrakis saw in rehearsal, transferred to the stage.

This is particularly evident in the scenes where the ladies pose for their “nude” calendar. There’s a definite spirit of affection and connection that binds the six actors involved and infuses the way they relate with the young photographer.

That sense of “ensemble” is not quite as evident in the second act. The action seems looser, the timing less precise, the belief in some of the characters less assured. Nevertheless, the intent of the play – the camaraderie and sense of purpose that come from working for and achieving something that matters – is certainly evident.

Michelle Bellamey plays Chris, the florist who hates cooking and knitting and only joined the WI to impress her mother-in-law. Bellamy is strong performer who makes Chris feisty, defiant, and a lot of fun – an inspiration and support to her friend Annie (Anita Lenzo) who has lost her husband to cancer.

Anita Lenzo finds Annie’s sensitivity, empathy, and strength – especially when contending with Chris’s impetuosity and boosting the esteem of their friend Ruth, played by Josphine Birch.

Birch depicts Ruth’s eagerness to please and lack of confidence with hesitant actions and the warmth, wonder – and hurt – conveyed by her expressive eyes,

Jannette Chambers is church organist and single mum Cora whose daughter has left home in search of her father. Chambers finds both the concerned parent and still defiant rebel in Cora.

Georgina Philpott finds a similar rebel in Celia, who doesn’t conform to the women golfers’ “rules” and still remembers riding topless on a Harley – once!

Another rebel is retired schoolteacher Jessie, played by Karen Firmstone who relishes Jessie’s cheeky lines – and the effect on Lawrence the photographer when she reminds him she taught him at school!

Pauline Gardner plays ‘snooty’ Marie, who has escaped to Yorkshire from an incident in the past, but still maintains a sense of superiority, especially in her domination of poor Ruth.

Three of the cast play multiple roles.

Darren Gibson is John, Annie’s husband whose gentle fight against cancer inspires the women to raise money to replace the old ‘settee’ in the waiting room in the cancer ward. He also plays Chris’s tolerant, supportive husband, Rod.

Blake Nicholas is both young photographer Lawrence – and almost-sleazy magazine photographer Liam.

Anatasia Vokhmyakova plays Lady Cravenshire, judge of the WI show exhibits, as well as Brenda – the make-up artist who Ruth ‘outs’ as her husband’s floozy – and Liam’s shoot assistant.

Kathy Petrakis adapted this intimate play to a space that could have made some of the scenes more problematic than they appeared. The success of the production shows the importance of imagination, trust, confidence and enthusiasm.

Carol Wimmer