Originally published by L.S. Media. November 22nd 2011.
L.S Media Rating *****
Cast: Ruth Madoc, Jennifer Ellison, Lynda Bellingham, Jan Harvey, Rula Lenska, Debbie Chazen, Joe McGann, Bruno Langley, Jane Lambert, John Labasnowski, Camilla Dallerup.
It takes a play of some magnificence to come back to Liverpool two years running, then again, they don’t come much more magnificent than Tim Firth’s Calendar Girls. Based on a true story of a Womens’ Institute that took on establishment ideals and went on to become a global phenomenon, Calendar Girls reaches out to the audience’s soul and melts even the stoniest of hearts in its powerful, heart-breaking and supremely funny story.
In such a large ensemble where the cast list reads like a magnificent actor’s who’s who, the story and what it sets out to achieve could be easily lost, such though is the writing of Mr. Firth that even with the presence of Liverpool’s own sweetheart Jennifer Ellison, the outrageously enigmatic Ruth Madoc, the elegantly cool Jan Harvey, the demure Rula Lenska, the delightful Debbie Chazen and the charming and warm hearted Lynda Bellingham on stage, nothing could detract from getting the message across so brilliantly, that things can change and that anyone can make a difference to beating cancer.
It may be called Calendar Girls but the gentlemen in the play more than held their own in a cast made up mostly of talented women. Joe McGann was superb as he portrayed cancer sufferer John, the moment where he walks off stage after succumbing to the disease is shockingly elegant as it is poignant. Bruno Langley gave outstanding moments of beautiful comic timing as young photographer Lawrence that it’s no wonder he was asked back to reprise his role from last year.
One of the most touching and yet simple scenes in the play is where a single letter floats down gently from the Empire Theatre’s ceiling, the words written on that letter touch you in a way that I defy anyone going to see the play not to have a tear forming by the end of the scene. That letter is joined by many more by which time there were some visibly in the audience weeping as the ladies on stage read them out.
It is a testament to the original idea of the Calendar and the strong minded women that started the ball rolling all those years ago that the charity they support has now raised well over three million pounds.
The play, the writer, the brilliant cast and the back room team deserves every plaudit, every commendation going for continuing to bring this story across, as touchingly funny as it is serious, and delivered with style, grace and genuine affection.
Ian D. Hall