Appropriately pitched as a “stripped-back, rough-and-ready reimagining”, Calamity Jane at the Sydney Opera House is a rowdy and rambunctious tale of the well-known American frontierswoman. Known as a sharpshooter and avid storyteller, there have been many reprising’s of this infamous character – Doris Day in the 1953 film, Robin Weigert in the 2004 series Deadwood – but arguably there are none that truly capture the essence of Calamity Jane more than Virginia Gay.
Having received the Sydney Theatre Award for ‘Best Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical’ in 2018 for this exact role, Gay is back and better than ever. Quick-witted and possessing such natural comedic timing as to make even the most experienced of comedians nervous, Gay’s performance is flawless.
Adapted by Ronald Hanmer and Phil Park, with musical direction by Nigel Ubrihien, Calamity Jane follows our titular character and her relationships with the patrons of Golden Garter Saloon, in particular her unrequited affections for Lieutenant Danny Gilmartin (Kaya Byrne) and her adversarial sparring with Wild Bill Hickok (Andrew Cutcliffe). When singer Katie Brown (Kala Gare) arrives in Deadwood things start to get messy, feelings get hurt and love blossoms – but perhaps not where you expect.
For one brief moment I did think that the creators were going to disrupt the norm and give us an unexpected romance between Katie Brown and Calamity. It is a nod to the skill of Gay and Gare and their beautiful chemistry together, that I was quite disappointed this ultimately did not come to pass. This is a dynamic and formidable ensemble cast, with side characters such as Susan Miller (Victoria Falconer), Henry Miller (Phillip Lowe) and Francis Fryer (Ryan Gonzalez) creating their own uniquely memorable moments. In particular, Falconer felt like the glue that held the entire performance together.
Personally, I love a good fourth wall break and this production delivers it in spades. Interacting with the audience and presenting off the cuff remarks with the ease of seasoned professionals, the entire cast delivers the goods and will have you rolling on the floor laughing. But not only are they funny, they are also outrageously musically talented (which is good, considering it’s a musical). Aside from the incredible vocal range, there are pianos, violins, trumpets, ukuleles, and a harmonica. This infused standards like Just Blew In from the Windy City and Black Hills of Dakota with vibrancy and exuberance.
The set and costume design by Lauren Peters is perfect. Transforming the Studio space at the Sydney Opera House into a wild west saloon gives the production life, allowing the overwhelming energy of the performers to, quite literally, leap off the stage.
While the first half of the show was fast paced and vibrant, this appeared to slow down a lot in the second act, where some of the romantic relationships felt rushed. However, this in no way detracts from the enjoyment of the show and the strange sensation that these unusual and wild characters are now your new friends.
Calamity Jane is loud, uplifting, unpredictable and not to be missed.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Calamity Jane will perform at the Sydney Opera House until 16 November 2025. Presented in collaboration with One Eyed Man Productions.
For more information and to purchase tickets head to the Sydney Opera House website.
Reviewer attended on Sunday 19 October 2025.
Photo credit: Daniel Boud
