It’s a lovely story about several women who live in Yorkshire who all belong to the local social club Women’s Institute and who spend their time gossiping, getting things sorted, and general social stuff, and they also are not fans of the snooty women who are members of the local golf club.
However when Annie’s (Natalie Ogle) husband dies they try to think of ways to raise money for a memorial sofa for the local hospital in his name. Besides raising money through the traditional ways, Chris (Rachel Fielding) thinks of doing a very tasteful nude (not naked) calendar where the women would bare all! At first some of the women are quite reserved and adamant against it, but after some nudging from the rest of the women, they go through the photo shoot (with a young male photographer who is just as uncomfortable as the women) with strategically placed items covering their bits in the most hilarious part of the show. But with success comes drama, and some of the women have to deal with real life dilemmas along with hundreds of letters from ‘fans’, and the ire from the head of the Women’s Institute who nixed the calendar idea before it was done.
It’s a lovely production in a lovely location where the price of the ticket includes a meal before the show – whether you’re attending the matinee or evening performance. The food is absolutely delicious and you are given plenty of time to eat – this is definitely not the west end where you have to throw down your food before a show and run a dozen blocks away – at The Mill the restaurant and theatre are in the same building! And ‘Calendar Girls’ (written by Tim Firth and directed by Sally Hughes), is heartwarming and hilarious, nicely paced, and will fill you with joy. And the cast are all wonderful.