"CALAMITY JANE"
A Musical Western 

SSAOS 1978 production

• Music by Sammy Fain

•  Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster

• Adapted by Ronald Hanmer & Phil Park from the stage play by Charles K. Freeman

• SSAOS Production at Regent (Mecca) South Shields, 6th - 11th November 1978

Cast

Ann McLennan, Peter Charlton, Barry Hinchmore, Sandford Goudie, Pat Meeks, Bob Stott, Gwyneth Hunter, Edith Kemp, Ken Dunn, Jim Grey, Chris Youngs, Maurice Powell, Bill Scott, Malcolme Beck.

Sure, Calamity is quite a gal... and quite a show - so wrote
the theatre critic of the Shields Gazette after the first night.

Ladies and gentlemen.... the toast is "CALAMITY JANE", alias Ann McLennan who last night punched her way (literally) into local theatrical history as one of the outstanding musical comedy actresses on Tyneside.

And if Miss McLennan was a sure-fire Calamity Jane, it has to be said that the famous Western musical was tailor-made for the considerable talent of the South Shields Amateur Operatic Society, .......This "CALAMITY JANE" production is, without question, a peak achievement in the annals of the Society, one of those shows with the elusive quality which conveys "We got it right."

Producer Fred A Wharton must be well satisfied with the triumph on his hands - a fast moving, colourful, tuneful show to which the Amateurs brought exuberance in singing and dancing. The night belongs (naturally) to  Ann McLennan as Calamity and her infectiously rousing portrayal of the gun-totin',. back-thumping one-woman disaster area was a stunner. One remembers, too, the commanding presence and voice of Peter Charlton as Wild Bill Hickock, and the delightfully amusing cameo by Ken Dunn as the song-and-dance man.

But so much of the evening's pleasure came from the chorus and dancers. They did splendidly in voice and movement. A special commendation for Keith Trewhitt's direction of the orchestra. It always sounded good and there was rapport with the stage that could hardly be faulted.

You think I over-praise? Don't accept my word, Go see CALAMITY....... if you can get in.     ..........................     MJB

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