‘We brought the house down!’

It was billed as one of the most daring amateur dramatic productions in local history, but the lads and lasses of Guilsfield ADS smashed it!

Their much publicised production of Calendar Girls meant the amateur actresses would have to peel off their clothes in front of packed houses to recreate scenes from the famous blockbuster film.

And despite early reservations, the group embraced the scenes with gusto and set new records on their way to raising vital funds for charity.

“It was a tremendous run,” said spokesperson Mal Graham. “We played to over 1,000 people over the six sell-out nights and every night there was a standing ovation. The feedback was fantastic, including from many who have never been to live drama!

“Many people who have also seen the professional production have said that, whilst it was not as glitzy or slick as the professional show, they found that the story portrayed by talented amateurs was far more intimate and believable. This is very high praise indeed considering the household names touring with the official production.”

Guilsfield was one of many amateur dramatic societies up and down the country setting a new record for the number of performances of the same show. Licences for Calendar Girls were made available in a bid to raise cancer funds and to date more than £3 million has been collected.

The story is based on a group of ladies from a Yorkshire Womens Institute who peeled off for a calendar to raise funds following the death of a member’s husband.

“The Calendar Girls and the whole team at Guilsfield ADS would like to thank everyone who supported the show and are delighted that it was enjoyed so much by so many,” added Mal.