The daring stars of the Savoy Theatre's Calendar Girls have stripped off to be photographed for the real thing.

The show, a joint production by Off Centre Theatre and the Monmouth Savoy Trust, is on at the Church Street theatre from Wednesday 14th to Saturday 17th November.

The story of the WI ladies who dared to bare for a charity calendar is well known thanks to a hit film but this is the first time the show has come to Monmouth.

The production will be raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support and the Monmouth Savoy Trust.

In addition, a souvenir calendar has been produced and all of the profits from its sale will be used by the Monmouth Savoy Trust to support the Savoy Theatre.

The calendar features the cast, both male and female, and the director Chris Ryde revealing themselves for charity. Everyone needed some persuading to appear but as the characters in the play stress – the subjects appear nude but not naked.

To make it easier for the ladies who were nervous, and as more is on view as the pictures are taken than appears in finished photographs, a female photographer stepped in.

Juls Kean, a student of documentary photography at the University of Wales in Newport, welcomed the opportunity to widen her experience with this fundraising project.

She found it a real challenge but great fun and she enjoyed using her skills to help support the Savoy Theatre.

Caroline Pearce, 'Miss September' and Celia in the play, was keen to take part to raise money for the Theatre.

She is a volunteer who gives her time to support the Savoy by running the bar and selling tickets. She is also delighted to have a part in Calendar Girls as she lost her dad, Keith, to cancer and she says he would have loved to have seen her performing in this hilarious but poignant play.

Three boys feature in the calendar as well as 10 girls.

One of the boys is 19-year-old John Jones from Abergavenny. He is training to become a professional actor and so has not been daunted by having to act with a cast of mostly middle aged women.

When he took the part of Lawrence the photographer, he didn't realise he would be appearing in a calendar as well, but when asked to be 'Mr July' he agreed as it will raise money for the Savoy Theatre.

All of the girls and boys are very pleased with the calendar and hope the first print run will sell out and a reprint will be needed. They all agree that some of their Christmas shopping is already sorted.

The calendar, which is sponsored by local businesses, is now on sale at the Savoy Theatre, Boots the chemist in Monnow Street and ATC Floors and Doors.

If you want more information call 01600 772467.

Tickets for the play Calendar Girls are available online at http://www.monmouth-savoy.co.uk">www.monmouth-savoy.co.uk or telephone the box office on 01600 772467 or in person from Bojangles and the Nelson Museum.