Calendar Girls as presented by North East Musical and Dramatic Society

North East Musical and Dramatic Society 

Calendar Girls – The Musical 

Thursday 3rd April 2025 

‘Calendar Girls - The Musical’ is a beautiful, true story which focuses on a Yorkshire community coming to terms with the loss of a loved one due to cancer. Everyone has been touched by its themes at some point and so it resonates with audiences in a very personal way. North East Musical and Dramatic Society's production was full of raw emotion and some lovely, clever touches which went down a treat with the packed audience at Castleblayney’s marvellous Iontas Theatre. ‘Calendar Girls’ is a show close to my heart and revisiting the village of Knapely was like encountering an old friend. 

House management was exceptionally well organised with plenty of helpful personnel on hand to usher people to their seats. Sunflower colouring competition entries, by local children, were prominently displayed in the foyer and there was also a lovely remembrance tree upon which audience members could hang little sunflowers, having written a personalised message or tribute to loved ones. This was a beautiful touch. 

Brian Gilligan brought his extensive experience as a performer to this production, taking on the role of director. Mr. Gilligan directed a show which moved at a good pace. There was lots of emotion, which was generally well-balanced with more comedic moments. There was very good work with the ensemble, who appeared in tune with the narrative at all times. The W.I. ladies had clearly defined characters and worked well with one another. I felt that some of the more emotional moments needed more time and thought. John's death, for instance, felt a little bit rushed.

The three husbands standing with gaping, open mouths at the top of Act Two, was hilarious. And what a stroke of comic genius it was to have Marie close Denis’s mouth before her exit. The use of beauticians, complete with syringes, in ‘So I've Had a Little Work Done,’ was another clever touch. The photography scene will always garner huge audience support and the ladies brought the house down as each one, in turn, got their moment to pose. The use of rosettes to cover Chris's modesty was a very clever touch. I felt that there was an over reliance on moving lights, which were quite distracting and not entirely appropriate for this style of show. Overall, a strong directorial debut. 

Shane McVicker's musical direction was very solid. The opening number, ‘Yorkshire,’ was a little bit problematic in that the level of the band was too high, overwhelming the vocalists and the underscored dialogue. However, things did settle as the show progressed and we were treated to some excellent principal singing and a very strong choral work. In general though, there was good attention to underscored dialogue with sympathetic accompaniment and awareness of dynamics. Once levels settled, the band did a terrific job. Super work from Mr. McVicker overall. 

There are relatively few opportunities for a choreographer in ‘Calendar Girls.’ However, movement director Gavin Quigley did a very good job with the limited requirements. The emphasis was more on movement and formations, which was always strong and appropriate to the style of show and suited the abilities of the cast. Movement was always natural and I particularly liked the formations in the opening number, ‘Yorkshire.’ There was great fun in ‘Who Wants a Silent Night?,’ one of the few choreographed numbers in the show. ‘Protect Me Less’ was very well performed with Jenny and Danny, even if it felt a little bit too busy. ‘Sunflower of Yorkshire’ was a nicely moved, very appropriate and very well synchronised number from all. 

Louise Steele gave an inspired, well-studied performance as Chris and was an audience favourite from the start. She was funny, she was brash, but underneath it all was a heart of gold. Ms. Steele had great comic timing and much work had clearly gone into perfecting tone and mannerisms which were appropriate to the role. Her emotional outpouring during the W.I. conference was well-pitched. Ms. Steele had a wonderful emotional range but she was also very funny. Her Greta from Eindhoven scene drew much laughter and her performance of ‘Sunflower’ was a standout musical moment in the show. There was nicely gauged emotion too as she struggled with Danny going off the rails. A very good all-round performance from Ms. Steele. 

Carol McCourt was a strong Annie, delivering a good characterisation, full of the raw emotion that everyone experiences on the death of a loved one. At times, I felt that the intensity of her emotion was fractionally too much. As performers, we sometimes feel that the harder we push emotion on stage, the more we will affect the audience. This is not always the case. In a show that is steeped in realism, sometimes less is more when trying to find truth and authenticity. Ms. McCourt had a fine voice, which was at its very best in ‘Kilimanjaro’ and the wonderful ‘Scarborough.’ She showed great vulnerability, balanced with strength, as she dealt with her grief and resolved to address the W.I. Conference. Overall, a very strong performance. 

Lisa Buckley was a very funny Cora, “the best dad a mum could ever be.” She had great delivery, wonderful diction, and very natural comedic timing. She got great mileage from her teasing of Celia's “baggage allowance.” As funny as Cora's quips were, there was also a deep vulnerability there which Ms. Buckley captured very well. There was a great warmth for her son Danny, in spite of always being on his case and shoving toast in his mouth. Her sense of fun was clearly apparent in the wonderful ‘Who Wants a Silent Night?,’ a hugely uplifting and joyous number which showed off Ms. Buckley’s big voice. 

Claire Malone stood out from most residents of Knapely as Celia, the target of village gossips who giggled over coffee about her ‘enhancements.’ She was very funny, yet there was an underlying insecurity there which was nicely played. Ms. Malone played the ‘keeping up appearances’ role very well, with her superior tone and strong physicality. Her suggestive banter with Tommo was very amusing. And what a huge belt of a voice she had too, showcased perfectly in ‘So I've Had a Little Work Done.’ 

Sheena Duffy gave an excellent interpretation of Ruth, Marie's trusted organiser at the W.I. This was a beautifully touching and sincere performance. Her baking an inordinate number of scones for the fete, was the source of much hilarity, but underneath we knew that her baking was symptomatic of her personal battles. Ms. Duffy’s Ruth conveyed deep sadness in her fractured relationship by finding solace in vodka during the very poignant but terribly sad ‘My Russian Friend and I.’ She delivered a wonderful vocal performance in this song and it was very funny too. Ms. Duffy was hilarious in her drunken photography scene. Indeed her arrival lifted this entire scene to a different level.

The very talented Mags Carrick Kirk was a stern Jessie, the retired local school teacher. When she said, “sit down!,” everybody sat down! There was no messing with Mags. Her fabulous performance in the poignant ‘What Age Expects’ and her wonderful lower register, was a delight. There was a touch of ‘Mr. Cellophane’ to the number as she laid out how the elderly can often be treated as if they are invisible. At times, I did feel that she overplayed things for laughs but, in her subtler moments, she was beautifully sincere. 

Pauline Clarke was very strong as Marie, chairwoman of Knapely W.I. Ms. Clarke was a strong actress, playing the role with a haughty air of superiority. However, underneath, it became apparent that she too had a very vulnerable side. Ms. Clarke had some very funny moments too. I loved her waving at the audience as she arrived at the WI conference, as if she was somebody. Her confrontation with Chris in Act Two was very well studied and strongly performed. 

Peter Phillips did well in the role of John, whose death sets the events of the calendar shoot in motion. Mr. Phillips had a laid-back gentle style of delivery which endeared him to the audience and made his subsequent passing hit harder. He worked very well with Ms. McCourt. I did feel that we needed to see a more gradual deterioration in John's health as the story progressed. Much credit is due to Mr. Phillips for shaving his head in preparation for this role, one which I'm sure he will remember for a long time to come. 

Ian Rountree delivered an excellent performance as a most thoughtful and sincere Rod. Indeed, for me, this was the standout performance of the night. Mr. Rountree's light comic touch and ability to deliver a knowing, smart-assed quip gave real insight into Rod's coping mechanism as he dealt with all of the challenges that Chris threw his way. Underneath all his banter about “crazy paving,” there was a heart of gold and genuine love, which Mr. Rountree played with absolute truth and sincerity. 

Adam Pentony played the role of Lawrence, the hospital porter and amateur wildlife photographer, who fittingly gets roped into taking photographs for the ladies' nude calendar shoot. Mr. Pentony was beautifully sincere in his scenes with John and Annie in the hospital. However, overall, I felt that more could have been done to bring out Lawrence’s awkwardness and nervous disposition. Mr. Pentony is a very talented young man and, with more pointed direction, I felt that he could have gotten more out of the comedy of this role. 

Paul Kiernan and Brendan Parsons played the parts of husbands Colin and Denis. These were strong cameo roles. Their utter shock at the discovery that their wives would be partaking in a nude calendar shoot was exceptionally well played at the top of Act Two and they really shone in their number with Rod, which was very funny, yet poignant. 

Karl Parge was a strong Danny, Chris and Rod’s son whose fall from grace as former head boy sends Chris into an emotional spiral. He shone particularly in his drunk scene in which he showed his dramatic range very well. He did very well in ‘Protect Me Less’ with Jenny and, overall, had great fun with this performance. 

Hannah Mullen delivered an excellent, knowing performance, highly self-aware, as Marie's tearaway daughter, Jenny. I loved her unlikely journey from rebellious Little Miss Sambuca to fully-fledged member of the W.I. She had a superb vocal in ‘Protect Me Less,’ one of the standout musical moments of the night for me. Ms. Mullen had excellent stage presence and wonderful comic timing. Equally, she could be subtle, and her “Spread your wings and trust the air” at the end of the W.I. Conference was very thoughtfully delivered.

Zac McCormick was an excellent actor with a great accent in the role of Tommo, Cora’s wayward son. He played the awkward teen, full of testosterone-fuelled bravado, who claims to know far more about the female species than he actually does, very well indeed. Of course when Celia approached him with a dose of double entendre, he nearly lost his life. A very funny portrayal from Mr. McCormick. 

Marie McSorley and Roma Mullen were Miss Wilson tea and Miss Wilson coffee. They were a very funny duo and I applaud the bravery of their costuming in the photography scene. 

Mandy Cumiskey played a nice cameo as a very enthusiastic but far from engaging Brenda Hulse and Orla McAllister was a very posh, upper crust Lady Cravenshire. 

The ensemble worked well right through the show. There was good work in the opening as the village of Knapely came alive with authentic looking characters that looked like they had just stepped out of the Yorkshire dales. ‘Who Wants a Silent Night’ was full of energy and raucous celebration and the finale ‘Sunflower of Yorkshire’ sounded and looked superb. Great work from all. 

Lisamarie Wilmot had a relatively quiet night as stage manager, with little in the way of set pieces being brought onto and off the stage. Of course, there's an awful lot more to stage management than what we see on the stage and I'm sure that she had her hands full backstage, marshalling furniture, carts, and suchlike. Pieces like the flower cart and the maypole were moved by cast and transitions were generally smooth. Crew were in too soon with the hospital couch at the end of ‘Time Passing,’ which created distraction in what should have been a very poignant moment between Mr. and Mrs. Raistrick. 

The hired set was a visual treat. The beautifully finished houses of the village of Knapely framed the action perfectly. The stone-walled ramp and upper levels allowed for some interesting staging and all of this tied together with the LED wall graphics which, for the most part, were appropriate and visually pleasing. 

‘Calendar Girls’ is, by its nature, a show steeped in realism. The lighting should be about supporting the creation of mood and atmosphere, rather than any bells, whistles, or special effects. The heart of the show is in the story and lighting should enhance and support that narrative. This is where this production could have been better, in my opinion. Many lighting cues were abrupt and jarring, with quick snaps in transitions, rather than fades into and out of cues. There was over reliance on moving lights and effects which were not appropriate for this style of theatrical presentation, in my opinion. All of that said, there were some clever choices. Isolating Celia, Ruth, Jessie, and Cora as they ‘thought out loud’ during ‘Mrs. Conventional’ was such a clever, creative touch which isn't called for in the script and which added greatly to the theatricality of the number. 

After a shaky start, sound improved greatly. The band was very loud in ‘Yorkshire’ with vocals and underscored dialogue inaudible. The kick drum was unnecessarily high in the mix. However, things did settle and generally the operation was very solid. There was very good balance between pit and stage and a good balance within the vocal harmonies also. I liked the prerecorded tannoy announcements at the fete which were excellent. EQ levels were well set, giving us full and warm dialogue throughout. 

There were some stunning graphics throughout the show, with well-chosen, still images and animated sequences adding so much to the depth of the set and its overall aesthetic. The 

moving field of sunflowers as ‘Sunflower’ built was very effective. However, there was a glitch on stage right of the LED wall, giving rise to intermittent flashes which were very distracting. 

Props were very well chosen from the flowers for Rod's flower shop, the projector in the W.I., the wonderful array of cakes and containers for the spring fete, the Christmas tree, and decorations for ‘Who Wants a Silent Night?’ The W.I. cartwheel and many other authentic looking pieces. John's use of a portable drip, complete with stand, was an inspired choice which really added to visual and the narrative of the piece. Overall, props were very well chosen and appropriate to the era. 

There was great work too in the costume department. The Christmas costumes and accessories worked very well in ‘Who Wants a Silent Night?’ Cora’s collection of t-shirts was a delight. Celia's over-the-top outfits, Jessie's conservative attire and all of the costuming, reflected the personalities of the principal characters. The colour palette at the end of the show with its yellows, oranges, blacks, and greens, tying in with the sunflower theme, was simply inspired. Bravo. 

Hair and makeup was generally well looked after. John's wig at the top of the show worked well. However, I did think that Jessie's wig did not look overly natural and needed some attention. 

Calendar Girls the Musical is a delightful show with much comedy and sadness which hits every audience member in a different way. It is about life, death, love, loss and, above all, the importance of community. For anyone lucky enough to be involved in a production, it is a truly special show and I'm sure that this was no different for the cast and crew of North East Musical and Dramatic Society. I must commend the ladies of the W.I. for their incredible bravery in doing something that I'm sure they never thought they would do on stage. What an empowering experience this must have been for you all and I hope it lives long in your memories and hearts. Well done to all. 

Pat McElwain 

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025