Noel Coward Theatre
St Martin's Lane WC2N 4AH
Calendar Girls
Noel Coward Theatre MapMap ©Silvermaze Ltd 2008
Noel Coward TheatrePhoto by kind permission Tony Reading 2009
Show Details
Preview 4th Apr 09
Opens 13th Apr 09
Closes 9th Jan 10
Show Times
Monday - Saturday 7.30 pm
Matineé Weds & Sat 2.30 pm

Local Info
Top Class restaurants nearby;

Beotys (Greek & Trad English)
79 St Martin's Lane
020 7836 8768
Mon Plaisir (French)
21 Monmouth Street
020 7836 7243
Browns (British & European)
82 St Martin's Lane
020 7497 5050

Book Now Great Hotel Deals
This link takes you straight to the online booking page for this actual show!
The Late Rooms online hotel booking service is the best one - backed by men and women, to get the best central hotel for your needs and offer great deals as well. We use them ourselves.
Taxis & Travel Contact us
This links you to the taxi page
of Transport for London.

A note from the author

We put this AVMovie together (a compilation of still photos and video clips) to show off London theatres as they are seen most often by theatre goers – by night.


Thanks to Ben Shafik for his lighthearted and  informative commentary and Fionn O'Lochlainn for the original music.

Watch out for the new version with current liveries and the names of the theatres as they appear.

Baxter
Background
The public always respond well to outrageous courage for a good cause and this is no exception. To get a taste of REAL Brit humour at its best this play we must me see. It s a great comedy with serious undercurrents and addresses many people based issues including a real human response to a tragedy within a community. The actors are nearly all middle aged and Sarah Bird picked the players for their reality and amazing skill to feel and put over feelings common to us all. There's not a can of sentimentality in any of their handbags. Sarah is a star - they are all stars. It's the charisma, the humour and the tenderness that brings crowds - the bare faced - and the rest - fun is cool too. It's funny - very.

Calendar Girls is a true story of a group of village ladies in the WI who made history by demonstrating what British Women (where else?) can do.  As with 'The Full Monty''s fame which came as a surprise to the men, (who stripped off) it was an eye opener to the middle aged ladies – that taking off their clothes would bring such success. It even made Camila join her local WI - the royally patronised institution.

The Womens' Institute (WI) is one of the earliest networks for women to get together to do traditional things of interest to women. Stripping has never been on the agenda.  The WI started during the 'great' war in 1915 to encourage rural women to grow food - since when it has become stereotyped with cake baking competitions in country fairs with a membership of nearly a quarter of a million. It was the WI of a little village in North England (Yorkshire) where the history began.

When fame came to the stars of the village, in reality,  a film was made called Calendar girls which was a great success and won the hearts of millions of people. Now as a play in the West End it promises to outsell and outrun many other plays present and future. Already a success it boasts a fastest-selling-ever tour.
– So that's it really. You can book here - no hype needed - it's the best.

Story
It's more of a theme than a story which will enthrall you all the more as it unfolds all by itself – then and there – when you see and feel what's going on.  Any prethoughts you may get from a boring description of a great work can subtly change the perception.  Suffice it to say, people are checking their diaries on this one right now.

Cast
 Lynda Bellingham - Chris
• Patricia Hodge - Annie
Siån Phillips - jessie
Gaynor Faye - Celia
Brigit Forsyth - Marie
Gerard McDermott - Rod
Julia Hill - Ruth
• Elaine C Smi
ht - Cora
Joan Blackham - Lady Cravenshire & Brenda Hulse
Gary Lilburn - John
Abby Francis - Elaine
Carl Prekopp - Lawrence & Liam

Director - Hamish McColl
• Set design - Robert Jones 
• Lighting - Malcolm Rippeth 
• Music - Steve Parry
• Sound - John Leonard 
• Writer - Tim Firth 
• Casting Director - Sarah Bird 
• Producers -  David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers

© Covent-Garden.co.uk 2009 Updated 25th Sept 2009