Calendar Girls hand poignant boost to Highland cancer care centre
A VERY special Highland performance of Calendar Girls has raised £15,715 for Maggie’s Highlands – the cancer care centre where four members of the cast and crew have found support.
The show was put on by amateur dramatics group Showboaters who wowed full houses for five nights on the trot in Boat of Garten Community Hall.
Emma Macdonald (32) bravely played the character of “Miss Goody Two Shoes” Ruth, despite the raw emotions it brought to the surface.
Her mum, Lorraine MacPherson, one of the shows organisers, has lung cancer and needed hospital treatment during the run - though she was still able to introduce the play each night.
“Calendar Girls was a totally different kettle of fish for us,” Emma said.
“Usually our shows are comedies with a generous selection of music and song but this one had a huge helping of every emotion you could think of – every night for a week!
"The tears were real - no need for acting there - as was the laughter ... and the flesh! We were very nervous baring all during the first few rehearsals and doors were carefully guarded, but after a couple of weeks, the scene became just a few moments of the whole show.
"I loved every minute of it – the fact that it is based on a true story is lovely, and even more so now that our personal stories intertwine.”
The cast was well led by Iona Clark, playing widow Annie whose husband John, played magnificently by Ben Sparham, dies tragically from cancer and inspires their fundraising.
With Christine Fletcher as Chris, the calendar’s champion who loves the taste of stardom but whose lack of attention to her flower business puts her financial situation in jeopardy, Denise Robertson as retired teacher Jessie and Mairi Gordon as trophy wife Celia also shining and performing some wonderfully funny scenes incorporating everything from knitting to gossip about the Ladies Golf Club!
There was perfect comedy timing from Emma Macdonald playing Ruth, the “Miss Goody Two Shoes” of the bunch. Jacqui Bell completed the Calendar Girls line up playing Cora whose rendition of “Jerusalem” left all with it in carved into their minds for days after.
Lorraine added: “The entire cast threw themselves into this production with great enthusiasm, energy and bravery.
“It couldn’t have been easy to bare almost all in your own village with lots of friends, family and neighbours watching but these girls were confident in taking on this challenge and were rewarded with roars of appreciation from a very supportive audience.
"There were many funny lines of course but also some very poignant and moving moments, reminding us all that Calendar Girls is based on a true story and thousands of families are affected by loss of loved ones every year to cancer.”
Alongside the show, Boat of Garten SWRI and other volunteers in true WI tradition ran home baking stalls with cakes, preserves and plants and another stall selling knitting, crochet, greetings cards and a host of other crafts.
There was a licensed bar, a plentiful raffle each night and a silent auction with some fabulous prizes on which bidding remained open until the last show on Saturday evening.
Local businesses were very generous in donating money to pay the group’s hall rental for rehearsals and shows allowing the maximum amount to go directly to Maggie’s Highlands.
Lorraine said: “Maggie’s has been there for so many of us it seemed completely natural to put on the Calendar Girls production as a way of giving something back.
“It has been an incredibly emotional time for us all, but also so much fun and it has kept us going through difficult times. What has emerged, which is so heartwarming, is an incredible sense of community. The village and indeed the entire area of Badenoch and Strathspey rallied round to contribute in one way or another and I am personally very humbled by their generosity.”
Of Maggie’s, production assistant Jean Gordon, who lost her husband Jim to cancer, said: “Maggie’s was always there for Jim and I, just when we needed it most.”
'Brenda' actress Janet Hartree, who has recently finished treatment for breast cancer said: “Maggie’s has provided a place of comfort and support at a very stressful time. A place of calm, knowledge and friendship.”
Helen Banks, who played Lady Cravenshire and who has also finished treatment for breast cancer, said: “When you walk into Maggie’s, you could forget you were next door to the hospital. There’s not only a friendly welcome, a cuppa and a comfy sofa but a wealth of information and experience of the problems facing cancer patients and their families.”
Lorraine MacPherson and Ann Napier (producer) will continue to accept donations for Maggie’s up until March 31 when a presentation will be made to Maggie’s Highlands.
