Loveable Jason misses the target

Reporter: Paul Genty
Date published: 23 May 2014


ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, (Opera House, Manchester, to Saturday)

ANOTHER of the Manchester Gets It First musical premieres hits the Opera House and proves two things: expectations can be horribly off the mark, and you shouldn’t miscast someone because he seems good on paper.

As far as the first of those points goes, I had always considered Annie Get Your Gun as something of a curiosity among the “great” musicals. It’s a showbiz romance, rather than the Wild West musical it at first appear to be; it’s not as funny as, say “Calamity Jane”, and generally not as highly regarded or as much revived as others of its period.

And that’s despite its Irving Berlin score and tunes such as “No business Like Showbusiness”, “Anything You Can Do”, and so on.

But in the right hands Annie GYG is a cheerful, unassuming show with a wry script that pokes fun at the Wild West show business, male and female rivalry, the westernisation of native Americans and much else besides.

Along the way it gives us a bit of sharpshooting, a romance between the established and new stars of the show (Frank Butler — Jason Donovan, and Annie Oakley — Emma Williams), and some strong supporting players.

But all of this is rather let down by my second point — the casting of Jason Donovan in the role of Butler.

This is supposedly a sharpshooting, romantic rivalry of equals but Williams wipes the floor with her lacklustre opposite number, who sings weakly, acts with a permanently startled air and lacks charisma. If he didn’t seem such a nice guy and have years of pop stardom behind him, I’d wonder why he gets work at all.

Even Norman Pace — late of Hale and Pace — as Buffalo Bill is a larger than life character without ever becoming a caricature, while Williams simply radiates star quality; her singing is terrific, her switch from drama to comedy seamless and her charisma turned up to eleven.

Vagaries of casting apart, director Ian Talbot directs a lively show with a healthy mix of romance and humour, a great Big Top set and strong choreography.

It’s certainly one to aim for, but fans of Mr Donovan might well find he, metaphorically speaking, fires blanks.