insideKENT Magazine Issue 61 - April 2017 | Page 32

LONDON
L-R : Claire Machin , Sophie-Louise Dann , Joanna Riding , Claire Moore and Debbie Chazen in THE GIRLS .
James Gaddas as John and Joanna Riding as Annie in THE GIRLS .
L-R : Chloe May Jackson as Jenny , Ben Hunter as Danny and Josh Benson as Tommo in THE GIRLS .
London Theatre Review :

THE GIRLS

by Sarah Green
THERE IS NOTHING BAD THAT CAN BE SAID ABOUT THE 2003 FILM CALENDAR GIRLS . NOTHING AT ALL . I WON ’ T HAVE IT . IT ’ S ONE OF THOSE FILMS THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE PERFECTION . HELEN MIRREN , CELIA IMRIE AND JULIE WALTERS , FOR A START . THE WOMEN ’ S INSTITUTE . CHARITY . NUDITY . CAKE ( AND BUNS ). WHAT ’ S NOT TO LIKE ? Photos by Matt Crockett , Dewynters
So Gary Barlow was , I feel , rather brave to take this little slice of perfection and turn it into something that could very well fall flat . A musical version Calendar Girls . Could it work ? Do you want the good news or the bad news ?
The good news is that it does work , and it works brilliantly . The Girls is a riot of comedy and pathos , a beautiful piece of work that has all the best elements of the film added to Barlow ’ s stunning score . The bad news ? It might even be – just a bit , just edging forward slightly – better than the film .
It ’ s a close call anyway .
This could well be because Tim Firth who adapted the true story for the silver screen , and then turned it into a play , is also behind this new version of the heart-warming , lifeaffirming tale of a group of resilient and determined Rylstone and District Women ’ s Institute members from Yorkshire who decide to create a nude calendar ( tastefully done , of course !) to raise funds for cancer after the husband of one of their number passed away from the disease .
The Girls is an emotional show . Tissues will be required , and those attending will be subject to every feeling that can be thrown at them . But surely that ’ s part of the fun – we love these women , love what they are doing , love that this is a true story , and with love comes heartbreak and deliciously intimate moments that are really the definition of life . You ’ ll feel giddy with joy one minute , sob your heart out the next , and then round it all off with a real laugh-out-loud hilarity that is difficult to define . You will want friends like these ladies , and you might even discover that you already have them . It ’ s that good .
And we can ’ t forget the music . Barlow is a talented man and his score is a soaring success . The whole thing starts with the rousing – and hugely catchy – “ Yorkshire ”, an ode to the beauty of God ’ s own county ( and its little foibles too – plus Kent gets a tiny mention ), and the energy levels never dip . Perhaps the most memorable of all the excellent songs is “ Dare ”. It ’ s a song that I might use as my theme tune from now on . I ’ ve certainly been singing it enough .
There is a lot more to The Girls than a group of women of a certain age undressing to have their photos taken in order to buy a sofa for relatives to be more comfortable on in a hospital . A lot more . Look a little deeper and you ’ ll find lessons about self-confidence , about friendship , about teamwork and love and vanquishing inner demons . Everyone can take something away from The Girls , and that ’ s just one element of its endearing and , hopefully , enduring charm .
www . thegirlsmusical . com
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