The revival of the West End musical comedy Calamity Jane is touring the UK and Ireland and has just pulled into London.
The classic show based on the Doris Day movie from the 50s follows the fearless Calamity Jane who loves a fight, doesn’t know how to keep a house, and fires shots to keep the townsfolk of Deadwood from rioting at the saloon. Amongst the whip-crackin', there’s romance, betrayal, and of course musical numbers.
Hit songs of the show include The Deadwood Stage and the Oscar-winning Secret Love.
Calamity Jane is played by Carrie Hope Fletcher, who shines in this expressive character role. Calamity Jane feels like the perfect fit for her repertoire.
She’s non-stop throughout Act One, so you’ll excuse any moments of breathiness as she dances her way through Just Blew in from the Windy City. She’s light on her feet and doesn’t miss a beat or note.
Whilst Carrie takes a slight backseat in Act Two for her many costume changes, the show holds up with its heartfelt moments. The situational comedy drops and is replaced by Calamity Jane’s fall and rise. At the end of the show, you’ll get a wonderful performance by Carrie who pushes Secret Love to its vocal capacity.
Joining Carrie on stage is Vinny Coyle (Johann Baptist zu Sonnenburg in Mozart: Her Story (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); as her rival and love interest Wild Bill Hickock. They make for a good vocal pairing, and he also impresses with his hoedown skills.
The standout side-character to watch on stage is Francis Fryer (an actor who has mistakenly been hired to be the female star on stage) played by Samuel Jones (Lord Farquaad in Shrek UK Tour). He’s a real physical comedy star with hilarious moments, shrieking at the mirror, stuffing his coat in his mouth, and donning drag to fool the crowd. It’s a shame there’s not more room in the story for him in Act Two.
The on-stage instrumental ensemble lifts the show and transports it across the Deadwood, and how they sing, dance and play raises the bar for the quality of the production.
The show just misses out on being an all-round spectacular due to poor quality prop flowers and visually obstructing staging during the Adelaid Adams number.
Despite the minor flaws, there’s a lot to love about Calamity Jane, whether that’s the score, the cast or the comedy. You’ll be tapping your toes throughout the reprisals and humming a little ditty on your way home.
If you want to see the classic show revived well, then book fast. Calamity Jane: The UK and Ireland Tour is at the New Wimbledon Theatre Tuesday 13th – Saturday 17th May.
You can book tickets here.
Review: James Dix Photos: Mark Senior