It can't be easy to appear in your own community in the more-or-less nude.
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Nigel Brown, president of Glen Innes arts council wasn't involved in the production of Calendar Girls, but he said he was aware there were many women within and without the show who were a bit sceptical of the idea of appearing on stage with no more than blocking protecting your modesty.
"I can tell you that talking to other ladies who were not in the production that they would have had great difficulty in playing a part in the play even though they performed on stage," he said.
"And I think all credit to the ladies who really gave of their best, it can't be easy to do that when people are going to see you and you're in your own community.
"Personally I think the nearest I've ever got to it was appearing with a nappy on. And that was really nothing compared to what the ladies have done."
There is in fact no actual nudity in the stage show, which dramatises the story of a group of women from a rural British Women's Institute who produce a naughty calendar for sale at a large local fair to raise money for a local hospital after the husband (Graham Price) dies of cancer. Everything goes wrong when the media catches on, threatening to break up the tight-knit group with envy.
Unfortunately, the show has been "plagued" with bad luck, with two different leading ladies coming down with disease.
Show instigator Penny Lawrence was set to star but was hospitalised last year. That set the entire production back months.
On Monday night at the matinee the cast were down another major role, as Chris (Pip Grieve) lost her voice. They hope she will regain it in time for opening this weekend.
(To the suggestion the show has been "plagued" with bad luck, Nigel Brown joked "we musn't say things like that or we'll be talking about the Scotch play").
Ultimately the performance was a success despite some pacing issues caused by the need for an off-stage reader for one of the main characters.
In particular the set design is very impressive, as is costuming. Watch out also for the very funny Cora (Naomi Bain), Ruth (Deanna Montgomery) and the excellently cast Jessie (Ruth Sim-Brummell) and Lady Cravenshire (Veronika Philip-Warr). Another highlight: the ridiculous accent on Rod (Jay Post).
Next Saturday's show will be a tribute to former member Bill Hughes.
The Arts Council is planning its next show for June, with Nigel Brown to direct.
Shakespeare's Midsummer night's dream will turn into Midwinter night's dream, with edits by the director to modernise the language. They've nearly cast the show but are still looking for a "regal character", which he described as a medium-sized part.
First performances on June 20 with the final performance on June 30 at the Standing Stones.