Take me back to the Black Hills of Dakota…or to the Joseph Rowntree Theatre as their in-house production brings a classic to the stage.
Calamity Jane first rode to roaring success in 1953 as Doris Day brought to life this spit-firing, no-nonsense, boisterous protagonist, always in search of her next adventure and subsequent tale to tell.
The Joseph Rowntree Theatre Company delivers a clean-cut and nostalgia-filled experience, as we follow our unsuspecting heroine through the toils of fixing mistakes, hunting love and learning how to shape up to society’s expectations, no matter her reluctance.
From the moment the expansive overture sounded, giving us a glimpse of the beautiful numbers to follow, the 11-piece band showed their strength, led with assurance by musical director and conductor Martin Lay. They were a constant highlight throughout, as they navigated each number with the same spirit shared by the cast onstage.
So who was ready to don that deerskin, and take the reins? Helen Gallagher played Calamity brilliantly with the accent and mannerisms to match. Her energy never faltered, shifting her characterisation effortlessly with each arc of the story to reveal the many sides to this remarkable woman – including the more unexpected, vulnerable moments.
But her charm and enthusiasm especially glowed with each onstage interaction; such as with our stoic, Wild Bill Hickock, as Matt Tapp shone in this leading role. He played the part to a tee: calm, cool, collected, but with an underlying and undeniable charm – whether that was directed towards our leading lady or the new arrival and star of The Deadwood Stage, Miss Katie Brown.
Jennifer Jones returns to the company after her role as Belle last year, playing alongside Adam Gill, the previous Beast; it seems the pair are well-matched onstage. Their characters may be somewhat tricky to navigate and even verging on villainous at times, but each had a deeper individual story to tell.
Another perfect pairing which must be mentioned is our wonderful Francis Fryer (Tom Menarry) and Susan (Sadie Sørenson) – every time they appeared together the stage was alight. It was the cutest of chemistry and excellent casting from the creative team.
And whilst our leading cast shone, it was the entire ensemble and their collective power that ignited the stage and story, filling every inch of space as they brought to life famous numbers such as ‘Windy City’ and ‘The Deadwood Stage’.
Heather Stead, also starring as one of the fantastic cancan girls, did a phenomenal job at bringing originality to the choreography, whilst keeping it crisp, clean, and beautifully synchronised. The vocals didn’t lack either, ensuring harmonies were just as perfected as the movement. I particularly enjoyed ‘Adelaide’ and its reprise, which allowed the male vocalists to share their tender talent.
Whilst the setting for delivery was fairly simple, it fulfilled its purpose, allowing the characters to plant themselves at a newly decorated and quaint cabin, the infamous Adelaide’s dressing room, or the Deadwood Stage itself; and the transitions between each were mostly smooth. This simplicity allowed the focus to be on the actors themselves who looked incredible thanks to Julie Fisher and her team’s costume design – each dress, boots, and blazer perfectly picked to immerse us in the rustic and rural wild west.
Director Sophie Cooke has spoken of the joy this musical has brought her, a firm favourite, which shows through her thoughtful direction. And with a dedicated cast and crew who have clearly worked exceptionally hard on each fine detail, it truly reaps what it sows, as the audience roared in delight.
York can be a windy city itself, so what better escape than two and a half hours of nostalgia, with a musical that feels like one big warm hug.
Calamity Jane is at Joseph Rowntree Theatre from Wednesday 4 to Saturday 7 Feb. Tickets start from £12 and are available here.
