SMASH HIT PLAY CALENDAR GIRLS SET TO HIT THE STAGE AT CHESTER THEATRE

The stage version of an award-winning film based on a true story of a group of WI members who posed nude for a charity calendar is set to open at a popular Chester theatre.

Chester Little Theatre will stage "Calendar Girls" from Saturday 4^th July - Saturday 11^th July at 7.30pm. 

Adapted for the stage by the film's screenwriter Tim Firth, "Calendar Girls" is based on the true story of Angela Baker and members of her WI group from Rylstone, North Yorkshire who posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund after the death of her husband John from non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Fully intending to raise £3,000 for a new sofa  in her husband's memory for the ward where he was treated, their daring enterprise ultimately raised over £6 million for Blood Cancer UK.

The play opened at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 2008 followed by a national tour before transferring to the West End. The original cast included Lynda Bellingham, Patricia Hodge, Sian Phillips, Gaynor Faye, Brigit Forsyth, Julia Hills and Elaine C. Smith. It has since become the fastest-selling play in British theatre history.

The production at Chester Little Theatre will be co-directed by Andy Fox-Hutchings and Kelly Cowley.

Speaking about the play Andy said:

"Kelly and I have been having an amazing time bringing this beautiful and poignant story to life, with the cast and crew doing a wonderful job of exploring both the heartbreak at the centre of the story and the inspiring sense of community and support that turned into the most memorable calendar that the WI ever produced. The warmth, sisterhood and sense of fun that defined these women is being brought to life before our eyes each rehearsal and we can't wait to share our vision of Tim Firth's modern classic with you all this July."

Full details of "Calendar Girls" can be found at: 

www.chesterlittletheatre.co.uk 

...where tickets can be booked online.

Pictured - The cast of "Calendar Girls" in rehearsals at Chester Little Theatre.