When I read Calamity Jane was embarking on a new UK tour I was surprised. It’s not the kind of show that springs to mind as a classic, although it does have some very memorable tunes which have cemented themselves into popular culture thanks to the 1953 film, led by Doris Day. The latest revival of the show doesn’t quite match up to the film but if, like me, you have strong childhood memories of your Grandma singing ‘Secret Love’ and ‘Deadwood Stage’ as she did the washing up, then it will at least give you a warm evening of nostalgia.
There’s not an awful lot in terms of plot. Tomboy Calamity Jane brings Katie Brown (who is masquerading as famous actress Adelaide Adams) back to her town of Deadwood, where a love-tangle ensues between the women, Calamity’s love interest Danny Gilmartin and her arch-nemesis Wild Bill Hickock. The strongest laughs come from mistaken identity, which this show has in bucketloads, as all most every character is recognised as someone else at some point in the show!
Carrie Hope Fletcher takes top billing in the title role. She has great presence and, although she had big shoes to fill after Doris Day, she makes a whip-crackin; effort. Her vocals are strong and her powerful belt gives Calamity her trademark fierceness. The stand-out star is Seren Sandham-Davies who lights up the stage as Katie Brown. Her performance is nuanced, from endearingly chaotic to wonderfully composed and charming. She is Calamity’s opposite and it is lovely to see Calamity and Katie’s friendship blossom as they learn from each other. Both Fletcher and Sandham-Davies work well together with great comic timing. Sandham-Davies has good chemistry with Luke Wilson, who plays Danny Gilmartin, though his role seems frustratingly thin. If the character had been fleshed out a bit more, it would have given us a chance to hear more of Wilson’s beautiful singing voice. Gilmartin is a quieter, figure of stability, but in all the chaos he tends to get a bit lost, which is a shame, though a reflection on the script rather than Wilson’s performance. Tomas Wolstenholme played Wild Bill Hickock with devilish wit and charisma. Wolstenholme’s version of ‘Higher than a Hawk’ was also a lovely moment and his voice was a real treat. The banter between him and Fletcher was fun to watch.
Molly-Grace Cutler deserves a mention for her far-too-fleeting appearance as Adelaide Adams, delivering sass and campery as the stagey diva who is dismissive of her poor maid, Katie Brown.
The set looks great, utilising opposing balconies and a faux stage to recreate the watering hole of Deadwood as well as the more glamourous stage of Chicago. The ensemble also works creatively to portray Calamity’s horse and the Deadwood Stagecoach at several points during the show, but it is particularly effective during a high speed chase in the third act.
It is lovely to hear those famous songs again, although they are repeated so much even a first timer could recall them by rote by the curtain call. The band itself is made up of the cast, which is always pleasing to see. It’s clear the cast boasts many triple-threats as they move seemingly from energetic, high-kicking choreography to whipping out a violin or sliding along the keys of a piano, all whilst remaining in character.
The plot is extremely thin and a lot of the laughs rely heavily on out-dated gender stereotypes. Seeing masculine women and effeminate men as the butt of the jokes doesn’t (and shouldn’t) really land today, so it is strange to see the production embrace that with many an exasperated cry of ‘Females!’. I understand the story comes from a different era, but I would have been interested to see the story adapted for a modern audience, which I appreciate is an opinion not everyone will share. Without wandering too far into spoiler territory, Calamity Jane is a woman who doesn’t conform to the expectations of her society, and the message that is driven hard throughout the show is that, if she wants to get a man, she should. Yikes!
A lot of people have worked hard on this production and there is no doubt it has a very talented cast and crew. It perhaps leans too much on nostalgia rather than bringing the story to a modern audience, rightly or wrongly. There may be an interesting conversation to be had as to why there is an appetite for this kind of story in 2025, but if we look solely at the production, and don’t over-think it’s old-fashioned messages, it’s an entertaining night out.
The production runs at Venue Cymru until 30th August 2025 before continuing its tour to venues around the country.
Reviewer: Gavin Hayes
On : 26th August 2025
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