Calendar Girls The Musical

Based on the real life story of the Knapley Women’s Institute charity calendar for Leukemia Research, Tim Firth’s 2003 film Calendar Girls starring Helen Mirren and Julie Walters became a multi-award nominated staple in British comedy. After adapting his work into a play in 2008 that found success in the West End and on tour, Firth gave it the musical treatment alongside Take That front-man Gary Barlow in 2017. Then titled The Girls, the show opened in the West End before embarking on another tour back with its new name Calendar Girls The Musical.

Now back for a new UK tour featuring bigger iced buns and songs than before, did this version make me want to see it all year round?

I was gifted a ticket in exchange for an honest review – all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Annie: Laurie Brett
Chris: Samantha Seager
Jessie: Lyn Paul
Celia: Helen Pearson
Cora: Honeysuckle Weeks
Ruth: Maureen Nolan
Maria: Liz Carney
John Clarkey: Colin R Campbell
Rod: Andrew Tuton

Cast

Rating: ★★

What is Calendar Girls the Musical about?

After Annie’s husband John dies of leukemia, her best friend Chris comes up with an…unconventional idea to raise funds to buy a new sofa for the visitor’s lounge at the hospital in memory of him: a nude calendar. Recruiting members of her local Women’s Institute, little do they know how much of an impact the calendar would leave beyond their Knapely village hall as they navigate their personal lives.

What are my thoughts on Calendar Girls the Musical?

Calendar Girls is one of those sensibly yet cheeky feel-good British comedies that makes it an easy sell to put onstage to the point it’s been considered the female version of The Full Monty. An uplifting story about the power of friendship and how something as bleak as grief can drive people to do things that will change other’s lives for the better, director Jonathan O’Boyle treats the heavier moments with the weight they deserve and make for truly tearjerking moments. However, that doesn’t stop the shortcomings of this specific touring production.

I can’t judge Time Firth’s script compared to the West End production, but the decision to stretch the first half of the film into two and a half hours results in slow pacing as it fills up the running time with numerous songs that stop the story. Ample opportunity to devote more time developing each calendar girl, they end up feeling one note because, except Annie, we’re told about their lives instead of being shown them as they discuss body image, femininity and ageing. The humour ranges from light chuckles to cringy and tasteless, including Ruth getting a whole song about drinking vodka and being forced to take her nude photo while drunk (definitely not PC today).

Not helping the pacing and songs is Gary McCann’s pretty yet restrictive set that makes sure most of the action stays in the village hall to unintentionally comedic levels. Besides hospital signs coming down and lighting cues, the lack of movement on top of a heavily reduced cast lacks immersiveness of the Yorkshire setting that make the show itself feel too small for the story it wants to tell.

What are the songs like?

This production of Calendar Girls features some new songs by the returning Gary Barlow. They’re decent enough as upbeat pop tunes, but it quickly becomes apparent where new ones are added to fill the running time as one plays after another. Some standouts include the motif Yorkshire and Annie’s emotional ballad Kilaminjaro, but the rest become repetitive as they have each calendar girl tell us about their lives including Celia’s ode to plastic surgery and Ruth’s love for vodka. Not helping the song’s staticity is the lack of choreography, with characters often standing there, walking around or bopping their heads when dancing would add the energy they need.

What’s the cast like?

Besides the gimmick of grouping together TV stars and singers known by the target demographic, what’s more important is for the main calendar girls’ friendship to feel believable. Luckily, I feel they succeed.

Eastenders actress Laurie Brett is a star as Annie, breaking your heart as she makes her grief feel painfully realistic while finding strength to do the calendar to inspire others. Samantha Seager is fittingly free-spirited and larger than life as Chris, while Lyn Paul (Blood Brothers) brings prestige and gravitas as retired teacher Jessie who doesn’t let her age dictate what she does. Helen Pearson is fun and fiesty as newcomer Celia, even taking an accidental flashing with stride while perfectly in character. Honeysuckle Weeks brings personality as Cora, and Maureen Nolan makes baking aficionado Ruth’s body image struggles feel relateable.

What are my overall thoughts?

While Calendar Girls The Musical has an uplifting story filled with heart and a wonderful cast, the issues with this touring production don’t make it work for me in the end. With a script and songs that drag a paper thin plot and a set that lacks movement and creativity, the real emotion found in the story can sometimes feel lost.

Calendar Girls The Musical runs at the New Victoria Theatre until March 30th. Buy your tickets here.