If at first you don't succeed - change the name, swap the cast and tone it all down until it feels closer to home.

That's how I imagine the meetings with the creative team behind Calendar Girls the Musical probably went - and it worked. It worked very well.

The story is quite well-known by now.

Produced by David Pugh and Dayfdd Rogers, it's a true tale of how a set-in-their-ways W.I. group in Yorkshire did the unthinkable by creating a nude calendar as a fundraiser, after a well-liked man named John Baker was diagnosed with non Hodgkins Lymphoma.

That was 20 years ago, and the drive was fairly successful - they've only managed to raise £5 million for the cancer charity Bloodwise to date...

Back in April, I made the long trek from Kent up to Yorkshire to get a sneak peak and chat to the cast and crew of the new musical based on those women, written by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth.

I managed to catch the show last year during its run in London when it was titled 'The Girls' - a decision made to distinguish it from the play and film of the same name, something Firth admitted may not have been the best choice in the end.

Flash-forward a few months and it seems to have paid off, after a packed opening night at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury.

Barlow told me back then that he felt the show’s true home was out on tour in local theatres, and I now see what he meant.

Compared to the West-End production, the set feels more to scale and less flamboyant. The rolling Yorkshire Dales in the background and a slightly inclined stage help add natural levels to the acting, which actually helps the audience focus on the storyline a lot more which now flows better.

The characters all reflect those we might recognise in our own communities - the do-gooders, the troublemakers and busy-bodies - and these traits were drowned out by the bright lights of London.

While the set has been stripped back, the cast certainly hasn’t. There are several famous faces in this production, each bringing their own unique take on the story to the table.

Hi-De-Hi’s Ruth Madoc is charming with brilliant comedy timing as ageing former headmistress Jessie, while Loose Women’s Denise Welch is cool-as-a-cucumber as surgically enhanced ex-air hostess Celia.

Praise must also be given to author and This Morning presenter Fern Britton for her seemingly natural transition into musical theatre. She was incredibly convincing as Marie, the W.I. chair who ruffles a few feathers by protesting the values of the calendar.

Several of the songs have been chopped and changed with success, and the new end to Act One with the anthem Dare works perfectly, leaving the audience in stitches as Rebecca Storm playing Chris whips off her bra to show the others it’s not that hard.

Anna-Jane Casey, who lives in Faversham, is mesmerising in the lead role of Annie. Her grief felt all too plausible, and her solos Scarborough, Very Slightly Almost and Kilimanjaro were the highlights of the night for me.

The music will certainly appeal to Take That fans, as they feel like classic Gary Barlow tunes.

As for the nude photoshoot? Well, it’s exactly as you would expect. A barrel of laughs.

The show is still in need of a handful of minor tweaks such as lighting cues and slip-ups that may need a tiny bit more stage direction, but I am confident that these will be ironed out naturally as the cast get further into the run.

It’s heart-warming, has a strong cast, hysterically funny and is beautifully sung. What’s not to like?

Details

Calendar Girls the Musical runs at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury from September 5 to 15. To book tickets, visit marlowetheatre.com or call their box office on 01227 787787.

The show will also head to Dartford's Orchard Theatre next year, from March 5 to 16 2019. To book tickets, visit orchardtheatre.co.uk or call their box office on 01322 220000.