Review: Carrie Hope Fletcher makes whip-crackin' lead in Calamity Jane at Birmingham Hippodrome

Tuesday night's show at the Birmingham Hippodrome was part of the first extensive UK tour of the show in a decade - this time it stars award-winning author, actor and YouTube royalty, Carrie Hope Fletcher.

The show tells the story of the fearless, gun-slingin', "careless with the truth" storyteller Calamity Jane as she battles not bandits but jealousy, love and what it means to be a woman.

It's a whirlwind of corny fun, with classic choreography and big musical numbers including 'Black Hills of Dakota', 'I Can Do Without You' and 'A Woman's Touch' that are sure to be in your head for a good week after.

Having the joy of seeing Carrie Hope Fletcher on stage is reason enough to see this production: her stunning vocals and delightful stage presence effortlessly demonstrate why she's become such a well-loved name on the West End in recent years.

She brings all the comedic impertinence you'd expect from the biggest mouth in Dakota, accompanied by a truly beautiful voice no better demonstrated than in the tender rendition of 'Secret Love'.

Her friendly push-and-pull chemistry with Wild Bill Hickok (Vinny Coyle) is almost as excellent as his own performance. Coyle has the kind of stage presence where your eyes follow him around the stage no matter who's leading the number.

Impressive talents weren't limited to the main roles, with many of the chorus doubling up as band members while belting out big numbers and hoe-downing with the rest of them.

The blending of the band with the chorus was a really wonderful touch and lent nicely to the compact set where trumpets became rifles, chairs became horses and the piano, the stage coach. 

One of the only criticisms I could (general) muster would be how safe the show was.

Despite the leading lady telling the Express & Star that the script had been changed so that they could "laugh at things like women being the weaker sex or their place being in the home" - the production was surprisingly faithful to the original.

It meant that opportunities to poke fun at some of the musical's more dated tropes were missed and the standards of beauty established in the 1950s lingered unchallenged. 

But as the majority of the audience joined in with the final rendition of 'Black Hills of Dakota', I looked around the audience - all on their feet in applause - to see several dressed in cowboy hats and gingham shirts.

It has to make you wonder - why change it if they don't think it's broken?

*Calamity Jane is currently on tour around the UK & Ireland until September 27. Dates and tickets are available online at atgtickets.com/shows/calamity-jane.