November 18, 1998
Calamity Jane
Joe Titmuss reviews Pirton Players most recent success:
On behalf of all those people fortunate enough to see the Pirton Players latest production, Calamity Jane, may I express my sincere thanks and congratulations to Director Geoff Welch and the entire cast for another memorable performance.
To be greeted outside the Village Hall by an inscrutable, deadpan Indian chief with his two squaws, sitting around a blazing fire outside their tepee, was a brilliant touch to set the scene for the whole show.
Having been assured the tribes were friendly and in no way hostile we entered “The Golden Garter” saloon in Deadwood City to find Bar Girls and Stage Door Johnnies mingling with the arriving audience. Throughout the show costumes were beautiful and authentic as members of the cast treated us in turn to humour, pity, sorrow and eventually happiness by excellent acting accompanied by superb lighting effects with music from our talented musicians Margaret Johnson, Stephen Thorpe and Geoff Welch.
The singing of the well-known songs was delightful, particularly the rendition of “The Black Hills of Dakota” which has been running through my head ever since I saw the show. I hope someone recorded it for posterity!
From such a large cast of first-rate perfomers it is possibly unfair to single out any one performer, but I am sure the rest of the cast will not object if I make special mention of young Kathryn Wallace for the brilliant way in which she portrayed Calamity Jane. From a leather clad gun-toting cowgirl to the beautiful bride in the final scene her performance was exceptional. Thank you, and well done Kathryn.
Finally, I must thank all those behind the scene helpers who played such an important part in making Calamity Jane such a resounding success. I look forward to your next show with eager anticipation.
Joe Titmuss
Cast
Adelaide - Maxine Shearer
Bill - Keiron Jones
Calamity - Kathryn Wallace
Can-Can Girl - Francesca Harris
Can-Can Girl - Louise Claydon
Chorus - Juliet Alexander
Chorus - Roger Blackburn
Chorus - Liz Chapman
Chorus - Julie Dawson
Chorus - Gena Edwards
Chorus - Ann Fausset
Chorus - Fizz Gibbs
Chorus - Valmai Guess
Chorus - Hilda Handscombe
Chorus - Helen Hofton
Chorus - Peter Johnson
Chorus - Ed Picken
Chorus - Penny Picken
Chorus - Jan Simmons
Chorus - Simon Stimson
Chorus - Stephen Thorpe
Chorus - Stella Turner
Chorus - Ted Turner
Chorus - Helen Walker
Chorus - Helen Wallace
Chorus - Susie Welch
Colonel - Roger Southam
Danny - Michael Tackley
Doc - Paul Kerswill
Fryer - Graham Gibbs
Hank - Dudley Gentle
Joe - Ken Bradley
Katie - Alex Hart
Miller - Paul Ribbans
Pete - Douglas Tackley
Rattlesnake - Lorna Sexton
Stage Door Johnnie - Ed Picken
Stage Door Johnnie - Stephen Thorpe
Stage Door Johnnie - Roger Blackburn
Stage Door Johnnie - Peter Johnson
Susan - Laura Woodward
Crew
Accompanist - Clifton Hughes
Bar - Ed Picken
Director - Alison Gibbs
Front of House - Penny Picken
Front of House - Debbie Bassnett
Lighting - Stevie Shaw
Musical Director - Margaret Johnson
