We review Grantham Dramatic Society’s adaptation of Calendar Girls at the Guildhall Arts Centre, Grantham

Doing any adaptation of a much-loved TV show or film is always a tall order. The roles audiences know and love have to be perfectly cast to remind them of their favourite characters — while also putting the actors’ own spin on it so the stars aren’t just doing an imitation of what they’ve seen on screen.

A tall order yes, but it’s safe to say that Grantham Dramatic Society absolutely smashed their adaptation of Calendar Girls. It was spot-on from start to finish.

We’re all aware of the true story the film is based on — a group of ladies from Knapely Women’s Institute decide to bare all and pose nude (not naked) for a charity calendar to raise money to buy a new sofa for the relative’s room at Skipton Hospital after the sad death of one of the member’s husband of leukaemia.

When you’re following in the footsteps of the great Dames Helen Mirren and Julie Walters, you’ve really got to pull it out of the bag to give strong, witty, and heartfelt performances to bring us those likeable and relatable women going through the hardest times of their lives. But GDS’s leading ladies are simply outstanding.

Sarah Clark as grieving Annie is absolutely perfect in a very strong leading lady performance, trying to stay strong for her beloved John (Leigh Matsell) and raise much-needed awareness of the cruel disease which took him away, and make him proud of their efforts.

Her chemistry with best friend Chris (Gemma Dove) is genuine and when the two are on-stage together, they had the audience in the palm of their hands. We all know a Chris, who says exactly what she thinks and stands up for those she loves, and Gemma was fantastic, bringing a lot of heart and northern soul to her role.

Making up the reluctant posers for the calendar were vicar’s daughter turned rebel Cora (Amanda Taylor) whose brilliant observations of motherhood and middle age were spot on, while Allison Allen’s performance of Jessie was filled with such warmth and wit, they all made me consider joining the WI if these ladies would be there!

Helen Pack’s performance as our Celia was also wonderful — an archetypal “tart with a heart”, or so people think, and her struggles with trying to fit in with the golf club crowd are very relatable and I admired her on-stage confidence.

Sharne Gilbert was fantastic as shy Ruth, who not only has to deal with a cheating husband but is much put-upon by the WI’s overbearing and snobbish president Marie (an excellent Pippa Lord, whose expressive face had the audience in stitches).

It was wonderful to see Ruth come out of herself to not only pose for the calendar with aplomb, but also confront her husband’s ditzy beautician mistress Elaine (Briony Sparrow in a very different role to her recent turn as Ruth Ellis in The Thrill of Love). The whole audience were cheering as she told Elaine where to go, and we were all delighted for her.

While our six WI ladies were all outstanding, I also have to give special praise to Leigh for his very sensitive and believable performance as John.

Watching the portrayal of his health deteriorating during Act 1 was heart-breaking and it’s incredibly hard to portray a cancer patient well and respectfully, but Leigh pulled it off brilliantly.

Then there was the photo shoot… I loved the way all of the ladies pulled together to support each other (in every way…!) to ensure the scene was not only tastefully done with no “slips”, but that all of the brave ladies were comfortable performing it. To pull off a scene like this, any hint of awkwardness could make the whole scene feel uncomfortable, and you could tell they were all having a ball.

Also having a ball was Nick Kyme as the group’s reluctant photographer Lawrence, who was brilliantly funny when he realises exactly what he’s been asked to photograph and his comic timing was excellent.

The supporting cast — Gary Munro as Annie’s fun-loving husband Rod, Rosemary Gibson as Lady Cravenshire, and Nicki McKay as Brenda in Act 1 and Leanne the producer in Act 2 — were also fantastic. Overall the whole cast were wonderful

Directors Mark Brown and Sophie Read, and the whole production team, also deserve all the plaudits as it takes a huge amount of hard work and team work to pull off a play with so many props (yes, including those buns), costume changes, scene changes, and everything else at the whole production was seamless.

If I was going to give prospective audiences any advice, it would be two-fold.

One: bring tissues. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house in the scene when John tragically succumbs to his illness and the ladies and Leigh pulled this scene off beautifully. The metaphor-laden voice-over about sunflowers — if you know, you know — was so well done and I was in floods of tears.

The scene with the letters was also very well done and reminded audiences exactly what all their efforts were for and just how much it meant to people around the world. But keep those tissues to wipe away tears of laughter as the whole cast’s comic timing was also excellent.

Two: Simply put, go and see Calendar Girls.There are still a few tickets left for today’s matinee and evening performances via the Guildhall’s website at https://www.guildhallartscentre.com/whats-on/all-shows/calendar-girls-grantham-dramatic-society

It’s absolutely not to be missed, this is hands-down the best play I’ve ever seen GDS perform, and the whole cast and crew should be very proud of themselves. — RA