Review: Calamity Jane (Touring)

Tuesday 29th May 2025 at the Grand Opera House, York

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Carrie Hope Fletcher stars as the wayward Calamity in this affectionate touring production of the classic musical. Adapted from James O’Hanlon’s screenplay by Charles K Freeman, the show, with Nikolai Foster directing (and Nick Winston co-directing and choreographing), takes an understated approach, bringing warmth and charm to the piece rather than offering a brassy, raucous production which some might expect from this tale. Instead, it’s gently fun, wholesome and very well cast.

My only prior awareness of Calamity Jane was naturally clips of the iconic Warner Brothers movie starring Doris Day – maybe two or three songs were in my mind, but not much in the way of story… What I really like about this show, especially in relation to recent stage offerings, is the quality of story and character at the heart of everything, and with music (Musical supervisor: Catherine Jayes) serving the story beautifully.

For those like me: Calamity Jane is a bit of a tearaway in a rural town: no dresses (not even Matthew Wright’s beautiful costume designs tempt her), no womanly elegance, and no cares about either as she sets her sights on far more interesting things like adventure, being a great shot and outshining menfolk in her handling of menaces and horses alike. She is charmingly inventive with her tales – “Careless with the Truth” according to locals – but with Carrie Hope Fletcher taking the role, she’s oh-so-forgivable as she spins her tales with such wide-eyed fervour. While her life admittedly takes a more conventional turn, she’s an entertaining force of nature, and Fletcher’s handling of her musical numbers sell the tickets for this show easily.

So, a misunderstanding leaves Calamity hell-bent on saving poor theatre owner Henry Miller (Peter Peverley) from the angry townsfolk, promising to bring the famous performer Adelaid Adams (a great brief turn from Molly-Grace Cutler) to town. Samuel Holmes brings a warm lightness to the show as the walking misunderstanding that is Francis Fryer, not just with his light feet in tap numbers, but with a performance full of strong comic flashes. Seren Sandham-Davies is brilliant as the young chancer, Katie Brown, balancing naive youth, passionate aspiration and wavering conscience very nicely indeed.

Vinny Coyle is a worthy foil to the live-wire that is Calamity as Wild Bill Hickok, mercilessly winding Calam up entertainingly – and Coyle provides a standout gentle solo with “Higher than a Hawk”. Luke Wilson is Danny Gilmartin, the chap carrying the key to Calamity’s heart…until he isn’t, and Wilson does well to stay likeable despite Gilmartin’s antics!

Music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster are very much in the classic musical style; pleasant on the ear but not exactly road trip-worthy (okay, okay, maybe “Just Blew in from the Windy City” and “Hoedown” might make the cut…) – but it matters little because they serve the story so well, and while some may raise an eyebrow at some of the gender politics of the time, it’s worth noting that the playful “Men” is countered by the playful “A Women’s Touch” and with corkers like “I Can do without You”, from a sparky character like Calamity, I think the tale stands up pretty well! 

So, Calamity Jane can be trusted to deliver on nostalgic enjoyment of a bona fide classic musical, great voices and performances, and a particularly charming lead – if wholesome classics are your bag, take a punt on this show.

Calamity Jane is at the Grand Opera House, York until May 3rd 2025 – more information and tickets can be found here.