ANNIE GET YOUR GUN

In 1946, it was Ethel Merman on Broadway. In 1950, it was Betty Hutton on film. There have been many versions of Irving Berlin’s immortal Annie Get Your Gun and now it’s to be found on a national UK tour finally coming to rest in Torquay at the start of October.

This time, sharp-shootin’, wise-crackin’ Annie Oakley is played by Emma Williams. You may have seen her as the original Truly Scrumptious in the stage production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or, more recently, in Love Story. Whatever, she’s the overwhelming reason for catching the show – every inch the convincing tomboy in the first half, every inch the blossoming beauty in the second. And her singing is sublime throughout: effortless, strong and true.

Sad to report, the same cannot be said of Jason Donovan, who takes on Howard Keel’s cinematic portrayal of Frank Butler, swaggering, somewhat arrogant big shot (in both senses of the phrase) whose nose is put out of joint when he’s outgunned by a woman and whose heart is then under siege as he falls headlong in love with her.

Mr Donovan talks the talk and walks the walk all right – he can certainly carry off a frock coat – but, unlike Mr Keel, his is at best no more than a ‘pop’ voice so no match for Miss Williams’s and, truth to tell, not always bang in the middle of the note.

This is a curiously old-fashioned production with little of the zip, the edge, for example, of Richard Eyre’s recently revived Pajama Game. Too often, clumps of actors come on stage, stand in the middle, chat a bit and then walk off. Fluid, it ain’t. But – and it’s a big one – the music is divine. Most composers are fortunate if they write a couple of standards in one piece of work. Not Berlin. Here you have There’s No Business Like Show Business, The Girl That I Marry, Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly, I Got The Sun In The Morning, Anything You Can Do and the meltingly lovely I Got Lost In His Arms – and all under one roof, as it were. They and Miss Williams are worth the price of entry alone.

On tour until 4 October: 0844-871 7615, www.anniegetyourgunthemusical.com