While Calamity Jane herself was a real person, the story of the musical is entirely fictional: Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock work as gunslingers in the Wild West town of Deadwood. ‘Calam’ rides the stagecoach, protecting it from bandits and bringing in supplies and passengers to the otherwise isolated town, including talent for the local theatre. Alas, her habit for stretching the truth and letting her mouth run away with her, coupled with a series of mistaken identities and misplaced affections lead to a whole tangle of mischief for her to solve.
Carrie Hope Fletcher, as one would expect, is an absolute powerhouse as the eponymous heroine. She takes a character who skirts the edge of ridiculousness and gives her a warmth and charm that endears her to all, and by the time “Secret Love” comes around at the end of the show she has captured the audience’s heart in the process of loosing her own. She is evenly matched by Vinny Coyle as Bill Hickock and Seren Sandham-Davies as Katie Brown who both give standout performances while Samuel Holmes and Hollie Cassar deliver charming turns as Francis Fryer and Miss Susan. Quick-witted comedic flair from every member of the cast pervades the entire performance
The show rattles along with barely a pause for breath, powered by the boundless energy of a company of actor-musicians who make the astonishing feat of acting, singing, dancing and playing simultaneously seem positively effortless. It is a marvellous display of skill and ability, but it does cause one to wonder: is it now the case that performers are no longer expected to be triple-threat but quadruple-threat to earn their place on the stage? Regardless, the overall effect is of a group of gold rush pioneers willing to turn their hand to anything to get by in a rough-and-tumble town. Catherine Jayes’ orchestration creates a soundscape that suits this perfectly, while still retaining some of the breadth of the studio orchestras from the original Doris Day film from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
The set, too is small in scope but large in application: a handful of chairs, a couple of barrels and a rolling piano are whirled around the stage to create a bar, a cabin, and iconic stagecoach in quick succession, all within the frame of three fixed flats. However, Tim Mitchell’s lighting design transforms these flats from a work-a-day Wild West saloon to a magical performance space every time the music starts to play, while the mirrored proscenium arches draw the audience in, making them as much a part of the space as the actors on stage.
In short, this show delivers an awful lot of bang out of an unassuming package – much like good old Calamity Jane herself. It is a real feel-good treat of a night out for anyone who enjoys seeing a group of incredibly talented individuals give absolutely everything they’ve got.
Calamity Jane plays at the Regent Theatre until Saturday 21st June where it will continue its UK tour.
Photography throughout from Mark Senior.
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