Roughly based on the life of rootin’-tootin’ frontierswoman Calamity Jane, the film of the same name starring Doris Day in the title role hit the screens in 1953.
Largely based on this film, the latest evocation of the stage version has come rolling into town and wowed the audience at the Regent Theatre.
Calamity (Carrie Hope Fletcher) and Wild Bill Hickock (Vinny Coyle) are entrusted with keeping the peace in the rough and ready mining town of Deadwood but are called into unusual action to defend bar and vaudeville owner Henry Miller (Peter Peverley) who has made a mistake in a booking for his stage show.
Believing that he has arranged a talented actress to entertain the mining folk, he has inadvertently signed up a man. The attempt to pass off Francis Fryer (Samuel Holmes) as a female soon falls apart and, in a desperate attempt to ward off the angry audience, Jane avers that she will rectify matters by getting famous actress Adelaid Adams (Molly-Grace Cutler) to travel from Chicago and put on her act in Deadwood.
Calamity is prone to exaggeration when boasting of her skills and her actions once again fail to meet her words. Instead of the renowned actress the self-proposed peacekeeper returns to Deadwood with Adelaid’s maid Katie Brown (Seren Sandham-Davies) in tow.
Katie is desperate to be a star and goes along with the subterfuge but soon breaks down on stage before Jane and Bill come to the rescue and Katie is given a chance to prove herself.
So, Henry Miller’s skin is potentially saved but will the beautiful Katie throw the cat in the romantic pigeons? Love is already in the air as Francis falls for Susan (Hollie Cassar) but will the wannabe stage star come between the somewhat clandestine romance between Jane and cavalryman Danny Gilmartin (Luke Wilson)? And what about the handsome Hickock who has his choice of suitor but maybe has a secret love for someone seemingly unattainable? The cast make sure that the audience is whip-crackingly entertained as the amours become clearer.
Historians of the Wild West could probably pick huge holes in the plot and the lives of the real-life historical characters portrayed. In essence, though, the audience don’t give a hoot as this production rollocks along in fabulous fashion.
Headlined by Fletcher whose energetic performance is backed by a voice that has both raucousness and tenderness in its repertoire and exhibits all of the talent that has made her award-winning, the production has a highly accomplished co-star in Coyle.
Coyle brings all of the experience gained in major musical theatre to this play. Another beautiful voice and he is perfectly cast as a heart-throb who is able to bring the softer side of a western-hardened Hickock to the stage.
Both of these are backed by a hugely talented cast and an orchestra that appears on stage throughout which I found to be an excellent touch.
With a cracking score that is deftly handled by the cast, the stage is a whirl of movement thanks to the choreography and co-direction of Nick Winston and Musical Direction of Christopher Mundy. All is played out on a beautiful set and in costumes designed by Matthew Wright and lit by Designer Tim Mitchell. Director Nikolai Foster must be very proud of his product.
Calamity Jane may have just blew in from the windy city but if you wish to enjoy a couple of hours where you can wallow in your seat and enjoy first-class entertainment that has not waned over the last seventy-odd years then grab a seat on the Deadwood Stage and join in the fun. You certainly won’t regret it. Wee-ha!!
Calamity Jane has a running time of 2 hours 15 minutes and continues until 21st June. For ticket information contact atgtickets.com/stoke
