Productions

When Annie's husband John dies of leukaemia, she and best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room.

They manage to persuade four fellow WI members to pose nude with them for an "alternative" calendar, with a little help from hospital porter and amateur photographer Lawrence. The news of the women's charitable venture spreads like wildfire, and hordes of press soon descend on the small village of Knapeley in the Yorkshire Dales. The calendar is a success, but Chris and Annie's friendship is put to the test under the strain of their new-found fame.

Based on the true story of eleven WI members who posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund, Calendar Girls opened at the Chichester Festival Theatre and has since become the fastest-selling play in British theatre history.

Three shows being performed by Sedgefield Players and SPYS in the Parish Hall, Sedgefield on 14th July at 7pm plus 15th July at 2pm and 7pm.

Early June saw the Players take on Louisa May Alcott's 'Little Women' in an adaptation by Emma Reeves. Lucy Atkinson led the company as Jo March with her sisters being played by Amy Henery (Meg), Kelsey White (Amy) and Emily Legender (Beth). With traditional and new songs, this version was a beautiful re-telling with fast scene changes and moments to take your breath away.

Sarah Legender as Marmee, Viv Jacobs as Aunt Carol, Liz Flanagan as Aunt March, Meg Edgoose-Clubley as Belle Moffat, Gill Hook as Sallie Gardner and Rosemary Jones and Millie Malloy as ensemble rounded out the female side of the cast, while Tom Guest as Father, Ste Edgoose-Clubley as Friedrich Bhaer and Peter Hook as John Brooke rounded out the male company. Three of our young SPYS took the young male roles and did a truly exceptional job, Charlie Lines as Laurie, George Nott as Fred Vaughn and Elliot Taylor as Ned Moffat.

A simple set of an attic and lighting and sound by Richard Flanagan, Adam White and Glen White added to the ambience while backstage help from Carol James and Lynda Hillerby was essential for the fast changes of the beautiful costumes.

If you were unfortunate enough to miss this show then you really missed out on a spectacular performance directed by Tom Guest and Sarah Atkinson'

Charles Condomine, and his wife, Ruth, invite eccentric medium Madam Arcati to conduct a seance, hoping to gather material for his next book. The scheme backfires when he is haunted by the ghost of his wilful and temperamental first wife, Elvira. Elvira makes continual attempts to disrupt Charles's marriage to his second wife, Ruth, who cannot see or hear the ghost.

The cast includes Peter Hook as Charles, Christine Walker as Ruth, Jacqui O’Meara as Madame Arcarti and Rosemary Jones as Elvira.

Directed by Sarah Atkinson and Tom Guest, this is a wonderfully funny play with ghostly goings on.