West End's CALENDAR GIRLS to Bare All at The Marlowe

The production, based on the true story, the film and the award-winning play by Tim Firth, features musical numbers written by Gary Barlow of Take That fame. The cast includes Fern Britton, Sara Crowe and Denise Welsh.

Calendar Girls The Musical is inspired by a true story: a group of women decide to appear nude for a Women's Institute calendar to raise funds to buy a settee for their local hospital in memory of one of their husbands. The musical comedy shows life in their Yorkshire village, how the calendar happened, the effect on husbands, sons and daughters, and how a group of ordinary ladies achieved something extraordinary.

To date, almost £5 million has been raised for Bloodwise, the UK's specialist blood cancer charity, and it will continue to receive monies from this production.

The new tour will star novelist and television presenter Fern Britton, returning to the stage for the first time in 30 years, as Marie, Lorraine Bruce (Kay Mellor's The Syndicate and theatre credits including Piaf at The Donmar and Vernon God Little at the Young Vic) as Cora, and Anna-Jane Casey (Billy Elliot on tour, Stepping Out in London's West End, title role in Annie Get Your Gun at Sheffield Crucible) as Annie.

Sara Crowe (West End roles including Bedroom Farce, The Real Inspector Hound & Black Comedy and Hay Fever) as Ruth, Ruth Madoc (Hi-De-Hi, Little Britain and Gypsy) as Jessie, Rebecca Storm (discovered by Willy Russell and cast as Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers; her handprints are part of the Dublin's Gaiety Theatre Walk of Fame) as Chris, and Denise Welch (The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Coronation Street and Waterloo Road) as Celia.

Also joining the cast will be Phil Corbitt as John, Ian Mercer as Rod, Sebastian Aberneri as Colin, Alan Stocks as Denis, Pauline Daniels as Lady Cravenshire, Ellie Leah as Miss Wilson, Catherine Digges as Miss Wilson, Danny Howker as Danny and Tyler Dobbs as Tommo.

Gary Barlow and Tim Firth grew up in the same village in the north of England and have been friends for 25 years. With Take That, Gary has written and co-written 14 number one singles, has sold more than 50 million records worldwide and is a six-times Ivor Novello Award winner. Tim has won the Olivier Award and UK Theatre Award for Best New Musical, and the British Comedy Awards Best Comedy Film for Calendar Girls.

Gary says of the cast: "What a phenomenal cast we have. Tim and I sat in - and indeed played - on the auditions and have been so lucky to have put together such talented ladies."

The cast are equally enthusiastic about them. Fern says of the show's songs: "You are totally pulled along by your earholes and the songs really advance the story. Tim Firth is a God! He wrote the play, the movie and the musical and he's like a Yorkshire Stephen Sondheim with the lyrics. As for Gary, he has written some incredible songs."

Calendar Girls The Musical is at The Marlowe Theatre from Wednesday 5 to Saturday 15 September, with performances at 2.30pm (Wednesday 12, Thursday and Saturday) and 7.30pm. Tickets, priced from £25.75 to £48.75 (concessions available) are from the Box Office on 01227 787787, and marlowetheatre.com. See the website for details of the accessible performances.

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