NUDITY, iced buns and tea pots were just some of the themes on offer in an amateur production of The Calendar Girls.

Newport Playgoers Society’s performance, directed by Kevin Myers, was a superb portrayal of one WI’s group determination to raise money for charity.

Based on a true story, The Calendar Girls follows a group of Yorkshire women of the Knapely branch of the Women’s Institute, who produced a nude calendar to raise money for Leukaemia Research after the death of one of member Annie Clarke’s husband, John.

The idea of the nude calendar is put into action by the best friend of Annie, played by Moira Mainwaring, the hilarious, caring and tough Chris Harper, played by Nicola Carlyle.

The emotional journey which follows during the calendar shoot is one of comedy and sadness, as theWI girls swap their bras for iced buns and tea pots.

The best part of the play was watching the friendships between these women as their strikingly different personalities bind them together during the process of the photo shoot.

Nicky Davies’ portrayal of the rock ’n’ roll Cora is edgy and loveable, while Rosemarie Chick’s portrayal of fun girl Celia is sassy and the not so stern headmistress Jessie, played by Ann Kelly was hilarious.

I felt intensely sad for Chris Burrow’s character, Ruth, who was very clearly in an unhappy marriage and putting on a brave face around her friends.

It was clear just how much belonging to the WI meant to all these women, it was not to learn about knitting and cooking, but having a place where they could come together and enjoy each other’s company.

The play was fantastic, the acting could not be faulted and I left the theatre completely impressed by the Playgoers’ production.

This is a must-see. The play runs until tomorrow.

Danielle Sheridan