Calamity Jane
For 2025, another nostalgic classic is returning to the stage and embarking on a nine-month long UK tour. Calamity Jane is best known from the original 1953 film, starring Doris Day and Howard Keel, and was followed by the stage musical which premiered in 1961. Both stage and screen adaptations offer a more light-hearted, comedic version of the story of real-life frontierswoman, Martha Jane Canary.
The plot revolves primarily around a case of mistaken identity as Calamity Jane, intent on bringing Broadway star Adelaide Adams to the Deadwood stage, instead ends up with her maid Katie Brown. Comedy, chaos, several gunshots, newfound friendship and a love story ensue in a much-loved musical which continues to thrill audiences. Calamity Jane fans can enjoy the popular, familiar songs made famous by Doris Day, interspersed with several new additions to fill out the story, many of which were written at the time of the film but omitted from the final version.
The old-time classic is brought to life from the opening scene, with audience members transported to the 1800s through song and staging. A Wild West saloon style set design (Matthew Wright) provides effective staging with furniture and props used to move the story seamlessly between Deadwood, Chicago and Calamity’s house.
Award winning actress, Carrie Hope Fletcher, is the big name taking on the iconic, title role. She whips up excitement in this cracking classic, making the role her own, with impeccable comedic timing. Fletcher perfectly acts the brash, rough and tumble version of Calamity who tells tall tales and stands no nonsense, whilst also demonstrating a more vulnerable side to her character as the show unfolds. As expected from a West End star, Fletcher’s phenomenal vocals are on point throughout the entire show with her rendition of ‘Secret Love’ being a particular vocal highlight.
Vinny Coyle acts opposite Fletcher as Wild Bill Hickok, who stands up against Calamity, calling her out for her exaggerations. Coyle has a more sophisticated take on the role and brings a gentler than expected tenor vocal to Wild Bill’s musical numbers, including ‘Higher Than A Hawk’, compared to Howard Keel’s rich bass-baritone singing voice. The dynamic between the two leads is strong and their on-stage chemistry is a real strength of this production. The rest of the cast is almost entirely made up of actor-musicians who provide both the musical backing and the vocals for each number. This makes for a fun and unique interpretation which creates a sense of community where it almost feels as if the cast are coming together at the saloon for a friendly sing-along.
Lively, fun choreography by Nick Winston captures a mixture of exhilarating country numbers alongside more subdued soft shoe tap inspired motifs, ultimately concluding with a hoedown encore which had the audience up on their feet eager to join in! Audience members will leave having had a whip-cracking time, humming the tunes as they exit the theatre.
This show was reviewed on the 21st January 2025 at The Manchester Opera House. Calamity Jane is heading on a tour of the UK, More details here: https://calamityjanemusical.com/
Review written by Rachael & Gabrielle Groves
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Photo credit: Mark Senior
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