Page 18 - Demo

18 Phonebox Magazine | July 2025When leading West End lady Carrie Hope Fletcher was fi rst approached about starring in the new UK tour of Calamity Jane, there was one person who wanted her to take on the role more than anyone else: her mum.For there was something about the gun-slinging, whip-cracking frontierswoman fi rst immortalised on screen in 1953 by Doris Day that Carrie%u2019s mum knew her daughter was born to play. So when the off er came through, the 32-year-old performer found she just couldn't say no. \ mum had always said I would be a good Calamity Jane, and through the entirety of my adult career she has always said she would love to see me playing the part,\\ her dream role for me. So I looked into it and listened to the songs and watched the movie starring Doris Day and fell in love with it. Doris is such an icon. Though I did have to prepare my mum not to get her hopes up as things do fall through, and you never know what might happen.\Fortunately for both Carrie and her mother, things did go according to plan, and she is now set to tour the country in the iconic role, which has also seen the likes of Carol Burnett, Barbara Windsor, Toyah Willcox, Jodie Prenger and even novelist Lynda La Plante all have a crack - excuse the pun - of tackling the fearless heroine.The fearless, gun slingin' Calamity Jane is the biggest mouth in Dakota and always up for a fi ght. She%u2019s charming 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 Calamity CallingIt%u2019s been 10 years since Calamity Jane was last on the road and touring. But now the show is back with a bang and whip crack. And it%u2019s coming to Milton Keynes.Adelaid Adams, Calamity struggles to keep her jealousy holstered. Carrie Hope Fletcher is a three-time WhatsOnStage Best Actress in a Musical winner. She most recently originated the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber%u2019s Cinderella. Her previous credits include Veronica in Heathers, Wednesday in The Addams Family and Eponine in Les Mis%u00e9rables. Alongside theatre, Carrie has also written several best-selling novels and has a huge social media presence with over 635,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel with over 1 million views every month.%u201cCalamity Jane is one of those roles that doesn%u2019t come around all too often,%u201d she said. %u201cShe%u2019s action, romance and comedy all packed into one character, and I can%u2019t wait to take on the challenge of fi lling her shoes!%u201dBased on the much-loved Doris Day movie, this foot-stomping new production features all the sure-fi re classic songs, including The Deadwood Stage (WhipCrack-Away), The Black Hills of Dakota, Just Blew in from the Windy City, and the Oscar-winning Secret Love. %u201cWe have been waiting for the right moment and artist to step into Calamity's boots and bring this hilarious and joyful musical back to the nation,\Jamie Wilson. \iconic Calamity Jane.%u201cCarrie is one of the UK%u2019s most talented artists whose broad fan base will introduce this much beloved musical to audiences across the country,%u201d he added.Calamity Jane is at Milton Keynes Theatre from Tuesday 29th July toSaturday 2nd August.