area. It made us audibly gasp as they seemingly fell from the sky. At the end of the show, ensemble members all in black, carrying large stems of sunflowers, appeared on stage, in front of a projection of the Yorkshire dales and more sunflowers. The whole cast appeared, singing ‘Jerusalem’, and then the front of house and committee - and maybe some others I didn’t see - appeared at the side of the audience, holding sunflowers. It was incredibly moving. The final rendition of ‘Jerusalem’ was particularly impressive, as it was in at least fourpart harmony, and beautifully sung. Credit to David Francis for the arrangement - and well done to all the “non-singers” in the cast - you’d never have known! The production team deserves high praise for creating a show that navigates the delicate balance between comedy and pathos with such skill. From the pitch-perfect direction of Louise Colohan to the thoughtful set design of Graham Illing, every element worked together to create a truly memorable evening of theatre. The simple lighting transported us to a rather soulless church hall, and the projections took us up into the hills of Yorkshire with ease. The costumes were perfect - and many, many costume changes made the whole play very realistic - of course the ladies would wear different clothes day by day, month by month. It must have been quite the task for the wardrobe team - Glynis Aldred, Lousie Wright and Em Stanway. This production of Calendar Girls is more than just a play - it's a celebration of friendship, courage, and the power of community. Congleton Players created something really special, a show that has us all laughing, crying, and ultimately uplifted. Thank you to Congleton Players for their hospitality and warm welcome. I am looking forward to seeing what you do next.
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