Calendar Girls: Hit movie turned musical production coming to Garstang in October

The film ‘Calendar Girls’, famous for its British warmth and sense of humour, the Yorkshire-based hit movie is coming to Garstang, in theatre form.

A production centred around friendship, women empowerment and self-love, a prominent quote will form the basis of the musical performance which features ladies up to their mid-seventies. ‘There’s no such thing as an ordinary woman’, a powerful message which is portrayed in the diversity of the cast involved and their confidence to perform infront of local crowds.

Garstang Musical Productions will showcase an adaptation of the popular noughties’ film across five shows over four nights, featuring women of all ages from the area. Expecting sell out performances, tickets are available for £12.50 and the venues prepare to fill every night.

The women will tell the story of best friends Annie and Chris who come up with the idea to create a ‘nude calendar’ to raise money for the hospital where Chris’s husband died of Leukaemia. The best friend duo, originally played by Dame Heln Mirren and Dame Julie Walters, encourage the others involved in the Women’s Institute organisation based within their hometown of Knapley, Yorkshire, to strip down to nothing to create their own calendar.

Garstang Musical Productions, (GMP), welcome the performance from the amatuer musical theatre group who have been showcasing across local community audiences for almost 30 years. With Calendar Girls in the making since February this year, the cast, amongst a live band of eight musicians, are keen to get on stage for the performance the company claims they have gone ‘all out’ on.

Myles Sutcliffe, treasurer for GMP said: “It’s an emotional rollercoaster of a show, based on a great film. It’s a massive thing for the ladies, when we first introduced the show it was a shock, but they all wanted to do it to show the one message in the show.

“The show features, laughs, death, unhappiness and all emotions, as in the end it shows the really strong message of women-empowerment. It’s a really moving show.

“The actors have grown closer together and a real sense of community has been felt, as the one scene where they produce the calendar. They will be on the stage in their birthday suits, it's massive for them. They will be completely covered. It's so cleverly done. Nothing on show. But for them it will be so, so impressive.

“We’ve noticed several people come out of their shells, it's fantastic.”

With 19 cast members, ranging from 16 years-old to mid seventies, the group encourages talented people, from all walks of life in and around the Garstang district, whose sole aim is to entertain the local community and have a good time in doing so to get involved.

The show will be presented at Garstang Community Academy from October 5 to October 8. You can purchase tickets from their website: https://garstangmusicalproductions.sumup.link/products.