This stage revival of the classic 1960s Wild West musical sees Carrie Hope Fletcher take on the titular “Calamity Jane”, in the rip-roaring production that is sure to set toes tapping and put a smile on your face. Fletcher will be by far the main draw for many audience members, but it is fans of classic old-school Broadway who will get the most out of this – whilst some numbers do employ more modern, inventive theatrical techniques, a lot of this musical relies on more traditional styles, making the show feel warm and comforting, but unlikely to set any award nights on fire.
The story revolves around our gun-toting, whip-cracking, butt-kicking heroine Calamity, and Fletcher is sure to be a hit with the audience from the moment she confidently strides out onto the stage. Her “Calam” is feisty-yet-funny, twisting the other characters around her little finger, whilst also finding herself in increasingly precarious circumstances. We are constantly reminded that the Wild West is a dangerous place – people are quick to fly off the handle, and the opening act sees bullets zip around the saloon bar over the smallest of matters. Still, it is all done with an air of tongue-in-cheek, and there is nothing too scary or adult here – this show is clearly made with children in mind and should be enjoyed by all ages.
Well-known for her roles in Les Miserables and Heathers, Fletcher feels a little wasted in the role, despite doing a stellar job. Calamity’s only ballad comes in the second act with “Secret Love”, yet it is all over too quickly and fails to reach the heights of Fletcher’s previous performances (“Secret Love” is no match for “I Dreamed a Dream”). Whilst this number gives us a taste of Fletcher’s true potential, the rest of the musical features more fast-paced, upbeat numbers which, whilst enjoyable, do not make the most out of Fletcher’s incredible singing ability. What the musical does allow her to do, however, is show off her dancing skills, something which she has not been given opportunity to do in previous roles – and she more than lives up to expectations, matching the rest of the ensemble step-for-step in an exciting hoedown number that comes midway through the show.
Calamity finds herself in a sticky situation as she promises saloon owner Henry Miller (Peter Peverley) that she will get famous Chicago-based actress Adelaid Adams (Molly-Grace Cutler) to perform at Deadwood, a rough and run-down Black Hills gold rush town. Whilst we get a glimpse of Cutler performing the sultry number “Tis Harry I Am Planning to Marry”, it is actually Adelaid’s maid Katie Brown (Seren Sandham-Davies) who is brought back to Deadwood, pretending to be the actress. Of course, chaos ensues as the townsfolk quickly click on to the deceit, culminating in a showdown between Brown and Calamity, as Calamity realises she’s been duped. It is all great fun, and makes the most of the Wild West setting (although, whilst Calamity Jane was a real-life cowgirl from the 1800s, this aspect of the story bears no resemblance to real-life events).
The second act moves away from the more comical escapades of the opening act, and instead focuses on Calamity’s relationship with police officer Danny Gilmartin (Luke Wilson) and Sherriff Wild Bill Hickok (Vinny Coyle). As Hickok, Coyle is ferocious and threatening – until we glimpse a softer side, particularly exacerbated by his performance in “Higher Than A Hawk”, an acoustic number which does away with the bravado of his character seen throughout Act One. In order to impress the men, Calamity goes through a “My Fair Lady”-type transformation (perhaps appropriate since this musical is directed by Nikolai Foster, who recently revived “My Fair Lady” at Leicester Curve). Thankfully, this is all a misdirection, as Calamity quickly realises she shouldn’t change herself to suit the men in her life, and reverts to her old style – proving she is a perfect role-model for little girls everywhere!
The subplot of the musical focuses on actor Francis Fryer (Samuel Holmes) and his burgeoning romance with Susan (Hollie Cassar). Holmes has excellent comic timing – his performance in dress and wig as he is persuaded by Miller to pretend to be Adelaid is incredibly funny, whilst later scenes see him become overly nervous and jittery, even jumping at his own reflection in a mirror. His relationship with Susan feels genuine, although one wishes it were afforded a little more time. The two share a brief tap-dancing number, but an additional love song between the pair would not have gone amiss.
Matthew Wright’s set design frames the stage around Miller’s saloon bar, whilst other scenes are brought to life thanks to a cloth backdrop, reminiscent of period-appropriate Vaudeville acts from the 1800s. The staging becomes more inventive in creating the stagecoach in which Calamity travels to Chicago, making use of a grand piano and large wagon wheels, whilst rhythmic movements from the actors stand-in for horses. This helps to make the play feel fresh and new, and is a welcome update, but one can’t help but feel that a lot of the show feels dated and predictable. The use of actor-musicians in the ensemble help add an air of professionalism, but aside from this, it feels like a show that any amateur group could easily perform, and even the talents of Fletcher do not help to elevate it further. Alongside this, the ensemble are often featured as annoying caricatures who seem to distract a little too much from the main action.
Overall, this is an enjoyable show that delivers what is expected of it. Fans of the original musical will be more than happy with what is on offer here, and the audience is often encouraged to join in with the more well-known numbers such as “Black Hills of Dakota”. The musical ends with an additional hoedown number after the bows, which is little more than a repeat of an earlier number, with audience members encouraged to film this part of the performance and share on social media (a trend that first started with “Six: The Musical”, and featured recently in the UK Tour of “Come From Away”). It is easy to see why the Nottingham Theatre Royal will be packed out for the entire run this week – this is a musical that is well-promoted, and delivers exactly what it promises. I just wish it had delivered a little more.
Tom Morley, March 2025
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