. . . this green and pleasant land.

Left to right: Lawrence (Paul Goldsmith); Marie (Amanda Oelrichs); Brenda Hulse (Georgette Vale); Chris (Heather Carpenter); Ruth (Leanne Neave);
Jessie (Barbara Tilley); Cora (Marianne London); Celia (Tabi Paternoster); Annie (Alison Burton)
Other members of the cast were: John (Alan Carpenter); Rod (David Atkinson);
Lady Cravenshire (Marie Steveson); Elaine (Rowena Atkinson); Liam (Pete Harrold)

Director: Louise Casson
Producer: Alan Carpenter
Stage Manager: Jac McAlister
Set Design: David Paternoster

Review by Sue Dupont
WYMONDHAM PLAYERS - CALENDAR GIRLS
Director Louise Casson
Central Hall, Wymondham. Wed.17th April
Louise Casson, as Director, certainly chose the right group of friends for the six girls at the heart of this play:
the friendships and the relationships in this team were outstanding for their strength; I know that you all work together on other productions plus socially mixing (even to going on holiday together!), and this feeling of oneness and support and love in the group was the overall vibe over the footlights and is essential as the lynchpin of the production.
Personality plus and drive and enthusiasm plus feelings: Heather Carpenter as Chris has it all and the love for John and Annie, a performance to watch and be inspired by throughout.
As Annie, Alison Burton showed this great relationship in her friendship with Chris and was led into the calendar project by this friendship;
her scenes with John (Alan Carpenter) were thoughtful and moving, the love shone through with the tragedy, he played the role of John with dignity and hope and sympathy and all had a lump in the throat as he walked off stage.
The others in the ‘calendar team’: truly extrovert golfing behind the buns and gin Celia from Tabi Paternoster, the single-mother Cora with guilt personality from Marianne London, the retired school-teacher Jessie (Barbara Tilley) with the clever one-liners of humour, and the over-willing, almost ‘puppy pleasing’ Ruth of Leanne Neave; they crafted their characters and honed the bonds that bound the group to bring out the mix of sadness and state of mind and the contrast with the almost hysterical humour of the piece.
Each person in this team showed the hidden psyche and soul behind the circumstances that made up the woman.
In charge of the WI, Amanda Oelrichs as Marie certainly had the strength to try to control this team.
Georgette Vale nobly stood in from dress rehearsal to play her own role and another as substitute for sickness and managed to separate Brenda Hulse and Lady Cravenshire into two characters.
And the men of the company gave good character studies for husband Rod in business trouble with the shop (David Atkinson), a willing but shy photographer Lawrence from Paul Goldsmith, and an ebullient marketing man Liam by Peter Harrold, the parts were not large but were well portrayed.

As expected from Wymondham Players and David Paternoster the settings and dressings were to a high standard, and how hard the props team worked.