Posted 29 July 2009 - 05:36 PM
Well, I've just got back from seeing the new cast of Calendar Girls, and I'm glad my ticket was free!!
Ok, it was only their 2nd show, but it was one of the worst pieces of theatre I've ever seen. Maybe I'm not the target audience (i.e. I don't have grey hair and didn't arrive on the W.I. coach trip out), but surely even those lovely ladies could tell how poor it was.
I was really looking forward to seeing June Brown play a different character other than Dot Branning, but I think it's best she stays where she is. I think she looks bloody great for 82, but so much of it was lost because you couldn't hear a word she said. She had a few good moments (trying to work out how such a small ball of knitting would cover her), but nothing too great.
Jill Baker was fine as Annie, but the script didn't give her much chance to do very much with it.
Sarah Crowe as Ruth was the best thing about the production. Very funny and played with great comic timing, and her photo is the funniest.
Jerry Hall - totally miscast. Doesn't make any sense that shes in it.
Jill Halfpenny - again, totally miscast, which is a shame, because she was pretty good. Way too young for the role and it looked silly.
Gemma Atkinson - why cast a 'name' in such a tiny role?!! What a waste of money, when one of the understudies could of played it.
Will Knightley was nothing special as John. Jack Ryder was fine.
Now for the big one...Anita Dobson!! What the..... I don't get this at all. It actually made me angry to watch someone on a west end stage perform so badly. I don't know if it was nerves, but she wouldn't stay still. Every line she said, she made some odd gesture as if she were performing to a group of aliens who couldn't understand English. Her voice really grated on me after 10 minutes too. Very poor lead role actress. Also looked out of place with her orange hair.
I just felt sorry for the real Calendar Girls, because this was such a bad interpretation of their story.
Maybe some people will enjoy this, but I really can't see this happening some how!