STAVELEY Roundhouse celebrates its silver anniversary year with one of the most popular stage plays of all-time.

Calendar Girls is the popular choice for the Staveley theatre’s 25th birthday show teaming up for the occasion with Sedbergh’s acclaimed Spellbound Theatre.

The two-venue show opens at Sedbergh People’s Hall on Thursday, February 13 and runs until Saturday, February 16 (7.30pm).

However, for the Staveley dates, instead of the Roundhouse theatre, for production reasons director Fliss Pocock and the team have moved lock, stock and barrel to Staveley Village Hall to put on Tim Firth’s play, staging three performances from Thursday-Saturday, February 20/21/22 (7.30pm).

“Spellbound originally approached me to direct the show,” explained Fliss. “Then we thought it would be a good way to celebrate our 25th so we decided to put it on at Staveley too.

“It has a lot of props and it’s quite different doing an end show instead of in the round.”

Among the Calendar cast are Kate Vernon, who plays the lead Chris, Sue Richardson plays Annie, Alison Hine is Celia, Lizzie Harrison takes the role of Cora, Suza Ellis is Jessie and Heather Pakeman is Ruth.

Fliss said that the performers were doing really well: “It’s a great bunch of actors. You’ll have to go along way to see a better group of non-professionals.”

Based on the true story of 11 WI members who posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund, Calendar Girls opened at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 2008 and has since become the fastest selling play in British theatre history. Although it tackles a difficult subject, Calendar Girls is an uplifting play and is at the same time quirky, heart-warming and hilarious. Full of poignant moments, the story is about friendship, determination and hope.

This will probably be the last chance for a while to see the play performed by an amateur group as the performing rights expire at the end of February.

Box office for Staveley shows 015395-61076 or emailstaveleyrht@btinternet.com.

Tickets for the Sedbergh performances from Sedbergh Tourist Information Centre on 015396-20125.