What a (Whip) Crackin’ Show!

Calamity Jane at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Photo credit Mark Senior

Naomi MacKay watched the latest tour of Calamity Jane as it debuted at Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre – where the show runs until Saturday 18 January 2025.

It’s not often that Aylesbury Waterside gets to debut a show – and one starring musical fan favourite Carrie Hope Fletcher at that! But it did this week.

There’s been quite the flurry of ‘old-school’ musical revivals recently, including Kiss Me Kate, Fiddler on the Roof and 42nd Street, so it’s no surprise that this show, from the 1953 film starring Doris Day and Howard Keel, has made an appearance once more.

If you’re not familiar with the story, it follows the fortunes of a tomboy cowgirl – Calamity Jane – in 1870s Dakota. She dresses like a man and helps to safely bring in the local stage coaches, all the while regaling anyone who’ll listen with her tales of her adventures in the Wild West.

But when she heads off to the Windy City to bring big-name actress Adelaid Adams from Chicago to the Deadwood stage, it all goes awry when she mistakes Adelaide’s maid for the real deal. All this while secretly pining for handsome Danny Gilmartin (Luke Wilson).

Can Calamity save the day – and will she win her Secret Love?

Before seeing the show, I did wonder whether I would just find it all just a bit old-fashioned, but the staging really brings it to life. It has been cleverly cast by bringing the musicians into the action, providing a large company that helps to fill the stage – something often missing in touring productions. And who can’t be impressed by a saxophonist and cellist on stage, accompanying the singers while joining in the dance routine?!

The tomboyish Calamity is a great role for Carrie Hope Fletcher, who sings with real gusto. But the star of the show for me was Samuel Holmes as Francis Fryer (an actor mistakenly hired instead of the actress Frances Fryer) who absolutely nailed the comedy required of his role, including an attempt to impersonate the actress, which went well until his wig came off.

Finally, the staging is great, mainly set in the Golden Garter in Deadwood, but with some inventive magical theatre, to recreate, for instance the stagecoach and a steam train – a honky tonk piano, coconut shells and a puffing pipe all played their part!

The fun of seeing a musical you haven’t seen for years is that you forget how many familiar and cracking songs it produced – from The Black Hills Of Dakota to Just Blew In From the Windy City, and of course, Secret Love.

Hop on the nearest stagecoach and Whip Crack Away to grab a ticket!                         

Tickets are available at: www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury (bkg fee) or call 0844 871 7615 (Fees apply. Calls cost up to 7p per min plus your phone company’s access charge).

Photo credit: Mark Senior