Theatre by the Lake has brought the best feel-good production to the heart of the Lake District.
Written by Take That’s Gary Barlow and Tim Firth, Calendar Girls the Musical tells the well-known, true story of a Women’s Institute in Yorkshire that produced a saucy nude calendar to raise money for a local hospital – and in doing so created a story that went around the world.
This cast of 15 excellent singers, musicians and actors is so strong that when the young actor Sol Taibi, who plays Tommo, son of one of the WI members, was injured, the show went on with gusto, with 14 members of the cast, and the Musical Director, Alex Weatherhill, reading the part, as well as being on stage bringing together the actors as they created the soundtrack.
Sarah Groarke, the Chairwoman of Knapely WI, captures the perceived character of a Women’s Institute member so accurately, you really do feel like you are in a local WI meeting. And Groarke is an excellent trumpet player who, alongside her fellow actor/musicians recreates the songs many will know from the musical, including One More Day in Yorkshire.
Every one of the cast gives a strong and very emotional performance that touches the audience. From delighting in the joy of the happily married couple, Annie and John (Clarky), to the heart-breaking journey through cancer treatment that didn’t work for John. As life carries on, we enjoy the hilarity of the girls deciding and pulling off the calendar shoot. The audience goes through every emotion in this production.
Neil Moors as John quickly captures the hearts of the audience, as well as the WI members, with his performance.
Karen Hilmes as Annie’s best friend Chris, who was “almost Miss Yorkshire” is an excellent partnership. Christine Meehan as Annie is perfect for the role, and her singing is spellbinding and appears to be effortless. And Fenella Norman as their retired school teacher, Jessie, is an actor with perfect comic timing – a joy to watch. Pippa Duffy as Celia, the former air hostess, also has a great talent for comedy and singing.
This production also has two Cumbrian actors returning as part of the supporting cast. Thomas Donnan as Danny, Chris’s son and Leah Montgomery as Maria’s wayward daughter Jenny. Both highlight the success of Theatre by the Lake in bringing on the next generation of actors. Danny and Jenny’s awkward, teenage romance blossoms like the sunflowers which are synonymous with the Calendar Girls. I look forward to watching Donnan and Montgomery’s careers grow and flourish.
Angela Caesar and Rachel Hammond as the Mrs Wilsons (Tea & Coffee) are hilarious. And my heart went out to Lawrence, the Hospital Porter and award-winning wildlife photographer who is roped in to capture the images for the calendar. Matt Heslop plays this shy role to perfection, as well as providing the baseline to the soundtrack.
Matt Ian Kelly plays the husbands of both Chris and Celia, showing the love and devotion of these couples to each other – and the tenor horn that provides the sound of Yorkshire brass to the score, with additions of trombone.
Alicia McKenzie gives a strong performance as Cora, the vicar’s daughter and unmarried mum of Tommo, and has an amazing voice.
However, it is unfair to pick out any one performer in this production, as they are all perfectly cast and together create the very best production under the direction of Paul Robinson.
With a standing ovation at the end of the performance, the audience was filled with the joy that the original Rylstone and District Women’s Institute created with their nude calendar to raise funds after one of their members’ husbands died of cancer. This production beautifully celebrates the original WI calendar girls and is a blooming brilliant night out.
Reviewer: Karen Morley-Chesworth
Reviewed: 11th August 2026
North West End UK Rating: