Review: BroadwayWorld Sydney Guest Critic George Farmakidis Shares His Views on Richard Carroll's CALAMITY JANE at Belvoir St Theatre

BroadwayWorld Sydney Guest Critic George Farmakidis Shares His Views on Richard Carroll's CALAMITY JANE at Belvoir St Theatre

Thursday 6 September 2018, 8pm, Belvoir St Theatre

I may offend readers straight off the bat with this next statement, but...I was
never a fan of Doris Day's Calamity Jane. The movie was a vehicle for Day's
admittedly beautiful vocals, but between the dramatic overacting and the
occasional scene chewing, it was never a film that would allow me to suspend my
disbelief or lose myself in entirely, like a good cinematic experiences can do. Like
the technicolour plywood sets, it was pretty but evidently very un-real. When it
was time to attend Richard Carroll's version at Belvoir St Theatre, I was unsure
what to expect, yet also cautiously optimistic, as word of mouth had created a
nice buzz, particularly after last year's successful run at the Hayes Theatre.

From the moment we all lined up to enter the intimate amphitheatre, which was
tastefully styled into a western saloon complete with piano, bar and onstage
seating for a select few by Lauren Peters, the talented ensemble of actors were
immediately in effect, welcoming the audience to the Golden Garter, joking,
flirting and even delivering drinks from the bar onstage. Immediately, a sense of
playfulness, of a sly wink, pervaded the production. This was not going to be
played straight, so to speak. This was made even more apparent when they cast
an audience member as the lucky ninth actor to play Joe the Barman (who as
fortune would have it matched the cast's irrepressible energy).

The magnificent supporting cast of seven - Laura Bunting, Anthony Gooley,
Sheridan Harbridge, Rob Johnson, Matthew Pearce and Tony Taylor all hit their
respective marks with cheeky aplomb, the first song Whip-Crack-Away balancing
respectful nostalgia for the source material with a modern, comedic and
effervescent twist. When Virginia Gay enters the stage, her magnetic charisma
instantly commands your attention. She plays Calamity as an alternatingly sweet,
naïve, and hard-as-nails character who is always endearing and eminently
accessible.

Although the cast is relatively small, the stage felt entirely full due to the larger
than life characterisations by the talented cast: Calamity's fierce vulnerability,
Adelaide Adam's infamous vapidness and Katie Brown's wide-eyed hopefulness
balancing well against Henry Miller's hapless hand-wringing bar owner, Danny
Gilmartin's suave lieutenant, Francis Fryer's comedic klutz, and Wild Bill
Hickok's unlikely charming leading man. After last year's successful run, the
same cadre of actors has returned to hit their groove flawlessly. If this
production goes on another tour next year to even more destinations - here's
hoping it does, it will be interesting to see what further heights this cast could
reach.

The ensemble's improvisational skills were on full display, especially Gay's - an
entire song was halted mid-warble in order to mine the inadvertent comedy
when one of the on-stage viewers tried to high-five Calamity at an inappropriate
juncture, causing the entire theatre to erupt into raucous laughter. For those
wondering how an actor can faithfully execute the material, continually break
the fourth wall to interact with the audience, only to effortlessly return to the
script without missing a beat or losing their all-important empathy, please go
and watch this talented cast.

In terms of modernising a classic, apart from the overall fun and satirical vibe of
the performance, there were sweetly timed commentaries inserted into the
songs that poked fun at Trump, George Street's Light Snail-Rail, and a playful
shout-out to Gay's successful television role in All Saints. However, the best and
most successful example of bringing this performance into the present day was
the touching and amusing interpretation of the song A Woman's Touch. Calamity
Jane has always been a gay icon, although prior to this, it was more metaphor
and allegory than literal interpretation. This sweet rendition eschews both the
subtle and the obvious and succeeds in creating a funny and tender moment
between Calamity and Katie before they return to the business of which fella was
taking which dame to the ball.

The Cameron Mitchell choreography also deserves mention in this review.
Excellent use of the Belvoir's stage with the incorporation of dance that displays
a hint of vaudeville, the playing of instruments, and the use of intelligent and
amusing percussion (see: coconuts) all zings nicely courtesy of an ensemble who
clearly know and enjoy each other. Speaking of music, the piano playing and
overall musical arrangement by the exceptional Nigel Ubrihien was the magical
glue that brought the whole performance together.

And just when you think you have a handle of this production's interpretation of
the source material, the entire tempo of the performance temporarily changes
when the cast sing The Black Hills of Dakota a cappella. The lighting, the
acoustics - all of it alters to allow the cast to perform a beautiful and sombre
rendition of the song as a standalone piece that showcases their musical talent.
Whether you are a fan of the film or not, this production perfectly straddles
between respecting and having fun with the source material without ever
resorting to parody, all the while engaging the audience and bringing you in to be
a part of the action. Calamity herself even hugs and thanks the audience for
coming to her wedding as we file out of the theatre, while the rest of the cast are
downstairs in the bar, singing around a piano, enjoying the wedding reception.
Warm, funny and cheeky, Richard Carroll's production of Calamity Jane plays it
just right.

CALAMITY JANE

https://belvoir.com.au/productions/calamity-jane/

To post a comment, you must register and login.