Rugby Theatre's Calendar Girls, The Musical - Sensational!
Calendar Girls The Musical by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth. Rugby Theatre from 24 – 31 October 2026. Directed by Mark Tolchard.
Review by Ann Evans
Calendar Girls – Wow! What a show!
Like the group of Yorkshire women whose true story this is based on, putting on this show – like creating the calendar, was a brave and daring thing to do. Get it wrong and it could be disastrous. Get it right and it may well bring the house down. And the Rugby cast and crew nailed it beautifully.
If anyone isn’t familiar with the story behind Calendar Girls, it’s based on the true events of a group of friends – all members of the Yorkshire Women’s Institute (WI) who decided to make a calendar to raise money for a new sofa at their local hospital where John, one of their husbands was having treatment for cancer. Earlier, they had jokingly looked at doing something akin to the famous Pirelli nude calendar – then shelved the idea.
This was in 1998, the year that John died after being ill for just a few months. As a tribute to him, they resurrected the calendar idea, which came out in 1999. They hoped to sell the 5,000 copies they’d had printed, however, the world got to hear of this calendar, where ladies from the WI posed nude, their modesty shielded by household items associated with the Women’s Institute – teapots, cakes and flowers, and – in today’s terms ‘went viral’.
That year alone, 88,000 calendars were printed, and the ladies donated a cheque for £322,000 to what we now know as Blood Cancer UK. The sunflower, associated with John, became their emblem. However, that was just the beginning. This led to inspiring a film (netting £20 million), a stage show and a musical. The ladies were in demand by USA TV shows; it led to The Royal Variety Performance, lunch with royalty and so much more. To date they have raised over £6 million for Blood Cancer research.
For the cast and crew at Rugby Theatre, putting on this particular show has been an emotional journey, with many people touched by cancer in some way or other. But the result is an absolutely joyous production. Packed with laughter, and emotion, excellent singing, great music from the live 6-piece band and powerful performances by the cast.
The opening scene is of the Yorkshire Dales and keen gardener John, played by Michael Barker, singing Yorkshire. From here, the stage bursts into life as we meet the characters and get an inkling of personalities and what’s happening in their lives.
Straight away you realise these people can really sing. Great casting for the six principal roles who seemed made for the parts they played. Emma Bright plays Annie, John’s wife, who handles this emotional role so well; Kay Fitzpatrick plays Chris, Annie’s best friend and the driving force behind the calendar idea. Kay gives a powerful performance from start to finish. Sara Galligan plays Celia – fun, flirtatious, and confident, Victoria Gillias plays Cora the vicar’s daughter and is another with a fabulous singing voice. Hayley Smith plays Ruth – a seemingly nervous woman, lacking confidence – but then we see the real Ruth in a particularly emotional scene – and what a voice she has. The sixth lady is Jessie, a retired schoolteacher played by Kathy Evans who proves she’s game for a lot more than knitting! Great singing by her too.
The rest of the cast are excellent in their roles – the three teenagers play their parts brilliantly. Lewis Sharrod plays Danny, Rhys Lenton plays Tommo and Penny Rann plays Jennie. Great characterisation by all three.
Other members of the cast play important parts in the story: the husbands, Kevin Bright (Rod), Paul Jackson (Dennis) and Howard Scott-Walker (Colin), who have to deal with their own feelings regarding the wives posing in the nude.
You really feel for Lawrence played by Chris Allen-Mason, a hospital orderly who Annie meets while John is in hospital. He’s also an amateur photographer who has just won an award. When the ladies enlist his help to take the calendar photographs, his embarrassment – particularly coping with saucy Celia, is priceless.
Some of the funniest moments in the show come from the actors with the lesser prominent roles. Senga Veasey plays WI invited speaker Brenda Hulse whose appearance is hilarious, likewise as she plays Lady Cravenshire special guest at the WI Spring Fete – great characterisation and costumes. As for the tea and coffee ladies – Melissa Whiffin and Sarah Tolchard – utterly brilliant! (especially at the end, sorry, no spoilers).
Good acting also from Sarah Phipps who plays Marie, the Chair of their branch of the WI, who to begin with, is totally against the nude calendar idea. And finally, not forgetting Bev Avis-Dakin Chair at the WI conference. Laura Wells and Abbie Robsen (ensemble) and Spring Fete announcements from John Dulcamara.
And leaving the best till last! The scene involving the actual setting up of the photographs, with the ladies arriving in their dressing gowns and nothing else, and the photographer Lawrence not sure where to look. Eventually, they drop all inhibitions and allow him to do his job. Then you see how this cast has worked together, creating a strong bond of togetherness, of friendship and trust.
This part of the show is incredible – utterly hilarious at certain times - and then comes the finale which is so unexpected and so beautiful. Be prepared to leave with tears in your eyes and a smile on your face.
A fantastic performance by Rugby Theatre – and one to be very proud of!
For tickets to Calendar Girls which runs until 31 October: https://www.rugbytheatre.co.uk/show/calendar-girls-the-musical/
You can read the full story here: https://bloodcancer.org.uk/about-us/who-we-are/our-history/calendar-girls/angela-knowles-story/
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