BRAVE actresses from Greenock Players will strip off for a production of poignant comedy Calendar Girls.

The play runs from Thursday 6 until Saturday 8 September at Greenock Arts Guild and tickets went on sale today (Monday 30 July).

Calendar Girls is based on the true story of Annie (played by Claire Scott) whose husband dies of leukaemia. While visiting John at the hospital, Annie and her best friend Chris (Pauline Cumming) note that the settee in the relatives’ room is so uncomfortable that they would soon need a new wing to treat victims of the settee. They decided to raise money for a new settee by printing a calendar featuring some of the members of the local chapter of the Women's Institute, discreetly posing nude while engaged in everyday activities, such as baking and knitting.

Their proposal initially is met with great skepticism, but eventually they convince four other women (payed by Dorothy Goss, Janice Johnston, Claire McGarrity and Laura Murdoch) to participate in the project.

Director Chris Gavin said: “It really has been a very collaborative production with an extremely hard working cast and crew. The “calendar girls” in the cast are really going through the same kind of journey that their true life counterparts did, being required to disrobe (discreetly) in front of an audience. It has been a privilege as a director to watch their journey and progress as they build themselves up to the nights of the performance where they have to do their nude calendar shots on stage in front of what we hope will be full houses.

“Given the theme of the play, we decided it would be good to be able to help a charity which deals with victims of this disease and we are very pleased to be able to do the play in aid of Ardgowan Hospice which has been caring for and supporting cancer sufferers locally for more than 30 years.”

Tickets are £10 with £7 concessions available on the opening night.

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