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Canberra Today 13°/17° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Review: The ‘Girls’ get it right

GOOD comedy has drama just below the surface. Tim Firth’s play, “Calendar Girls”, based on the movie of the same name, is funny, moving and very, very real.

Canberra Rep’s production, directed by Catherine Hill, tells the true story of a group of women who are members of a Yorkshire village Womens’ Institute. When the husband of one of them dies of leukemia, the women devise an unusual fundraiser in his memory. Their actions unexpectedly produce self-doubt and strained friendships.

At the core of this production is the excellent ensemble playing of Naone Carrel, Liz de Totth, Elaine Noon, Anne Yuille, Nikki-Lynne Hunter and Megs Skillicorn. There are no caricatures here. Their interaction with each other is precise and believable. Judi Crane as Marie, the head of this Womens’ Institute, artfully plays a sour old dragon who eventually shows she’s a real person after all. Jonathan Garland gives a very moving performance as the doomed husband, John, and the initially ill-at-ease photographer of Paul Jackson is nicely done. Good support is provided in well-played cameos by the rest of the cast.

The set, designed by Russell Brown, has captured the atmosphere of a faded church hall. Costume designer, Miriam Miley-Read, has provided the cast with a practical and appealing set of costumes. They really look like the clothes those characters would wear. Catherine Hill, the director, has done a fine job, bringing out the warmth, wit and humanity of a good play that covers universal issues we can all relate to.

 

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Ian Meikle, editor

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