Review by: Paul Towers, 16 October 2018
Calendar Girls – The Musical by Gary Barlow & Tim
Firth
Produced by David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers and The
Schubert Organisation
DeMontfort Hall 16 – 20 October 2018
“alternately hilarious and poignant in a single breath.”
Back in 2003 Tim Firth and Juliette Towhidi wrote a film
about an enterprising Women’s Institute group in Yorkshire who decided to
create a naked calendar to raise funds for a sofa to commemorate the husband of
one of their number who had died of leukemia.
So successful were their efforts that it inspired a film which
took off, touching hearts around the world. It was a story of how friends
come together in adversity, support
each other and create something wonderful out of tragedy.
Childhood friends Tim Firth and Gary Barlow decided that the
story and the film would make a good basis for a musical full of life
affirming, empowering songs. And so Calendar Girls – The Musical was born and
opened in Leeds in 2015. After a residency in London’s West End it has been
recast and is out on tour.
Tim and Gary have fashioned a show that is alternately
hilarious and poignant in a single breath. The laughs start from the moment the
lights go up and continue in waves til the final curtain.
Barlow’s songs are a revelation. Dismissed by many as a
fluffy pop song-smith his talents as a songwriter shine in this show as he both
moves the story along and provides light relief in what could be, in all
honesty, a depressing tale. While most of the songs wouldn’t stand alone as pop
singles they are excellent at doing the job they are written for. Telling a
story well and with humour.
The current cast is awash with familiar faces led by one
Fern Britton with Ruth Madoc, Sara Crowe, Denise Welch and Ian Mercer to
mention just the faces you will know from TV. While their familiarity helps
sell tickets and certainly pleased the full audience tonight they are just the
tip of the iceberg of talent in this production. There are lots of good comedy
performances and several of the leading ladies get their own powerhouse songs
to sing.
The set is very impressive and represents a Yorkshire
hillside complete with grass and a farm gate. Clever lighting transforms the
stage at various times and well balanced sound ensures we hear every word
without being deafened.
Calendar Girls - The Musical is at DeMontfort Hall until
Saturday 20th October. Limited seats are available at https://tinyurl.com/ycb9z4ar
Details of the continuing tour are at https://tinyurl.com/y9ns5bd2
First published on Western Gazette
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