Calamity Jane Whips Into Town THIS WEEK- Sat 2 Aug 2025 "Review"

Jamie Wilson Productions is delighted to announce the full casting of the revival of The Watermill Theatre’s whip-crackin’ production of the Broadway and West End hit musical Calamity Jane, including West End star Carrie Hope Fletcher

Joining Carrie Hope Fletcher as Calamity Jane and Samuel Holmes as Francis Fryer, will be Vinny Coyle as Wild Bill Hickock, Luke Wilson as Danny, Seren Sandham-Davies as Katie Brown. Peter Peverley as Henry Miller, Hollie Cassar as Susan, Molly-Grace Cutler as Adelaide Adams, Richard Lock as Rattlesnake, Ben Mabberley as Hank and Stage Door Keeper, Fergus Murphy as Joe and Harry, Tomas Wolstenholme as Buck, Claire Greenway as Doc. The cast is completed by swings Emma Jane Morton, Lara Lewis, Jacob Leeson, Theo Diedrick and Stephen Scott Stark.

Mrs D went to see the Show and her review.

Last night 105.5 The Point went to see Calamity Jane and a Whip Crack Away night was
had.

The stage was a simple set with a stage, balcony and a band. From the opening scene,
the cast was full of energy singing and dancing and then the amazing Carrie Hope
Flecher came on as Calamity Jane. Carrie was made for this role with her powerful voice and lively performance throughout the night.

Calamity was supported by a great cast. She had a love/hate relationship with the
handsome Wild Bill Hickock played by Vinny Coyle, Seren Sandham-Davies played the
hopeful Katie Brown, the maid of famous actress Adelaid Adams who wants so much
to sing on the stage, that she pretends to be her mistress and comes to Deadwood to
entertain the locals and finds love with the young lieutenant Danny Gilmartin.

There was a lot of humour in the show tonight with most from the unlikely couple
Susan and travelling singer Francis Fryer, their onstage partnership was very sweet,
and he was very comical. The funniest character was Rattlesnake portrayed by Richard
Lock. I don’t know how he managed to stay in character all night, he moved and
jumped on tipped toes around the stage keeping us engaged and entertained.

The cast sent us home in a happy and uplifted mood. I would say this is one to go and
see for a fun and uplifting evening. You will have a Whip Cracking time!

Calamity Jane at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 2nd August.

Marking ten years since the show hit the road the production reunites the previous creative team with Direction by Curve Artistic Director, Nikolai Foster (An Officer and a Gentleman, Kinky Boots), Co-Direction and Choreography by Nick Winston (Shrek The Musical, Burlesque The Musical), Orchestration and Music Supervision by Catherine Jayes (The Color Purple, Merrily We Roll Along), and Set and Costume Design by Matthew Wright (Everyone’s Talking About Jamie, Evita). This production will have Lighting Design by Tim Mitchell, Sound Design by Ben Harrison and Casting by Debbie O’Brien.

Carrie Hope Fletcher is a three-time WhatsOnStage Best Actress in a Musical winner.  She recently originated the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella (Gillian Lynn Theatre, West End). Her previous credits include Veronica in Heathers, Wednesday in The Addams Family and Eponine in Les Misérables. Carrie is a 2022 GRAMMY nominee for two competing albums for Best Musical Theatre Album – Cinderella (Original Concept Album) and Les Misérables: The Staged Concert (Live Album). Carrie went out on her first solo tour in 2023 which was entitled An Open Book – she toured the UK (including a sold-out performance at the London Palladium) and the show was a huge celebration of her career so far. She also embarked on her hugely successful second solo tour, Love Letters, in Autumn 2024. Alongside theatre, Carrie has also written several best-selling novels and has huge social media presence with over 635,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel with over 1 million views every month.

Based on the much-loved Doris Day movie, this foot-stomping new production features all the sure-fire classic songs including The Deadwood Stage (Whip-Crack-Away), The Black Hills of Dakota, Just Blew in from the Windy City, and the Oscar-winning Secret Love.

Meet the fearless, gun slingin’ Calamity Jane – biggest mouth in Dakota territory and always up for a fight. She’ll charm you hog-eyed though, especially when trying to win the heart of the dashing Lieutenant Gilmartin, or shooting insults at the notorious Wild Bill Hickok. But when the men of Deadwood fall hard for Chicago stage star Adelaid Adams, Calamity struggles to keep her jealousy holstered. Her heart’s a thumpin’… but who for?

What are you waiting for, you wild coyotes?  Whip-crack-away!

Calamity Jane was adapted for the stage by Charles K. Freeman from a screenplay by James O’Hanlon, produced by Warner Bros. With music by Sammy Fain, lyrics by Paul Francis Webster and Orchestral & vocal arrangements by Philip J. Lang.