The Girls Tickets

This is the true-life story of a group of Yorkshire-based Women’s Institute members who raise funds for their local hospital with a nude calendar. It wowed movie audiences and thrilled theatre lovers in play form. Now it's been transformed into a musical thanks to the talents of Take That's Gary Barlow, award-winning composer and songwriter, and his good friend Tim Firth. It's already proved a huge hit in the provinces, and it's due at the Phoenix theatre for its West End première.

The new production stars Debbie Chazen as Ruth, Sophie-Louise Dann as Celia and Michele Dotrice as Jessie. Claire Machin plays Cora to perfection, Claire Moore brings Chris to life and Joanna Riding makes a fantastic job of playing Annie.

The Girls – The story

Annie Clarke's husband John dies from leukaemia far too young, a devastating tragedy. Annie's good friend Chris Harper is inspired to buy a comfy settee in John's memory, for the hospital where he was treated, and ropes Annie's Women's Institute friends in. But how can they raise the money?

Chris decides a tasteful naked calendar is the best way ahead, starring WI members doing typical WI things like baking and knitting. Her fellow members at Knapely WI are sceptical at first, but she eventually persuades ten of the women to participate, as well as amateur photographer Lawrence who works in the hospital.

When the Women's Institute branch boss refuses to agree to the project, Chris and Annie travel to a WI national congress in London to plead for approval. They eventually get the go-ahead and the resulting calendar sells like hot cakes. Before long the girls become the darlings of the international media scene, invited to appear on hit US TV show The Tonight Show, in LA. The publicity takes its toll on Chris and Annie, and they fall out. But their problems are ultimately ironed out and there's a lovely happy ending to enjoy.

The show is directed by Tim Firth with musical staging from Lizzi Gee, comedy staging from Jos Houben and design by Robert Jones. Tim Lutkin is responsible for lighting design, the sound design comes from Terry Jardine and Nick Lidster, and the musical direction and orchestrations from Richard Beadle.

If you're in the mood for a feel-good musical, this one's for you. Better still, every ticket sold donates a sum to the specialist UK blood cancer charity, Bloodwise. And more than £4 million has been raised so far!

The Girls tickets – The smash hit movie and play, now a brilliant musical

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