Here come the Calendar Girls

The Girls is the musical version of the film and award-winning play by Tim Firth, with music by Take That’s Gary Barlow.

The pair grew up in the same village in the north of England and have been friends for 25 years.

Its world premiere in Leeds won praise, especially for Lancashire’s own Joanna Riding - who was born and brought up in Longridge, attended Preston’s Penwortham Girls’ High School and started her acting career at Blackpool And The Fylde College in St Annes.

She plays the lead role of Annie, the character loosely’ based on Angela Baker - and played by Julie Walters in the film - whose husband John’s death from non-Hodgkins lymphoma sets the wheels in motion.

The Girls, inspired by a group of ladies, who decide to appear nude for a Women’s Institute calendar. Raising funds to buy a settee for their local hospital, in memory of one of their husbands, comes to The Lowry at Salford, running from Friday, January 8 to Saturday, January 30.

Also in the cast are Debbie Chazen as Ruth, Sara Kestelman as Jessie, Claire Machin as Cora, Claire Moore as Chris, Vivien Parry as Celia, and Harriet Thorpe as Marie.

Call 0843 208 6005 to book.