25 March 2024
It’s not every day someone tells you they’re taking their clothes off for hospice. But stripping to the bare minimum is exactly what Lee-Anne Scarth and the Warkworth Theatre Group will do next month when they stage Tim Firth’s well-loved screenplay Calendar Girls to raise vital funds for Harbour Hospice.
Calendar Girls is based on the true story of a group of middle-aged Yorkshire women who produced a nude calendar to raise money for Leukaemia Research (now Blood Cancer UK) under the auspices of the Women’s Institute. They were inspired to fundraise after the husband of one of their group died from cancer. The screenplay was made into a movie which screened in 2003 and starred Helen Mirren, Julie Walters, Celia Imrie and Penelope Wilton.
Lee-Anne, who will play ‘calendar girl’ Cora, says there are several parallels between the screenplay and the lives of the members of the Warkworth Theatre Group. “Several of us have had loved ones in hospice care and been personally touched by the service. So it was a very easy charity for us to look upon and say, absolutely, we want to support this.”
The group is raising funds to provide medical equipment for the care of local patients.
For most of the cast, including Lee-Anne who joined the group 21 years ago, this will be the first time they’ve bared this much flesh in front of an audience. So how comfortable do they feel about going nude – or at least down to flesh-coloured knickers - in the name of charity?
“Well, the nerves are all a bit up. We’re all a bit nervous,” Lee-Anne admits. “But we’re excited too, and we’ve got some beautiful props that will be strategically placed. Rehearsals are very much closed until we perfect the placement of those props!”
The production will be directed by Richard Hutchinson, who says, “Calendar Girls is a wonderful, poignant story told with great humour. Most of us can relate to the loss of a family member or friend and this is a wonderfully uplifting story that takes us on a journey about how we can grow and celebrate those around us. It is great to work with a talented local cast and crew to bring this production to Warkworth.”
The Warkworth Theatre Group has been running 50 years and produces one play a year where it donates proceeds to charity. The group will donate 10% of all ticket sales to Harbour Hospice as well as the full proceeds of raffles. Puhoi-based spirits company Batch10 has made a special gin blend to sell at the event, with proceeds going to Harbour Hospice.
Calendar Girls will be on at the Warkworth Town Hall from 26 April to 4 May. Tickets are available from: trybooking.com/nz/ or the Mahurangi Matters office at 17 Neville St, Warkworth.
