Review: CALAMITY JANE, Opera House Manchester
Whip crackin’ its way across the UK & Ireland on tour throughout 2025 is the new revival production of Calamity Jane.
With music & lyrics by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster, the stage musical of Calamity Jane premiered in 1961, originating from the 1953 movie musical of the same name starring Doris Day in the titular role, but the story is inspired by stories of the real “Calamity Jane”, American frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and storyteller Martha Jane Canary, and her acquaintance Wild Bill Hickok.
Carrie Hope Fletcher stars as Calamity in this new production, alongside a cast of superb actor-musicians. Director Nikolai Foster and Co-Director Nick Winston have really utilised the talents of their actor-musician cast and their instruments in order to create the feel of a real closeknit community of the people of Deadwood, coming together to play music in the theatre and to underscore the stories that Calamity tells them, as well as embellishing some of the storytelling of the show itself, using instruments to create the sounds of the horses and whip-cracking of the Deadwood Stagecoach. Despite moments when some of the Wild West accents seem to disappear during songs, the whole cast put on a fabulous performance that truly is enjoyable to watch.
Several of the songs in the show have a jaunty feel to them, with the energy of the musical numbers enhanced by Nick Winston’s fantastically lively choreography. Every single group dance number is joyous and reminiscent of a plethora of golden age movie musicals that will likely inspire nostalgia for many theatregoers.
Set and costume design for this production comes from the mind of Designer Matthew Wright, with Diego Pitarch as Associate Set and Costume Designer. As the majority of the story takes place in Deadwood’s saloon and theatre, the set forms a beautifully rustic saloon complete with a stage with balconies at either side of the establishment. And for smaller scenes taking place in alternative locations such the Deadwood Stagecoach, the dressing room of Adelaide Adams, and Calamity’s cabin, the space is transformed using mostly only chairs, a piano, and the odd table or two. Adding to the rustic set design is soft, warm lighting from lanterns dotted about the space and tin footlights around the edge of both the saloon’s stage and the main stage, but also not forgetting the beautiful lighting design of Tim Mitchell, who uses lighting states to accentuate elements of the show perfectly.
Although some aspects of the storyline are a little dated, Calamity Jane is a wonderfully joyous show with great music and dancing to bring the Wild West to life and makes for a cracking night out at the theatre!
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Jess Dalloway
Calamity Jane plays at the Opera House, Manchester until 25 January, with tickets for select touring venues available via the link below:
https://prf.hn/click/camref:1101lj9MS/destination:https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/calamity-jane/
Photo credit: Mark Senior