It turned into one humungous Hampshire hoe-down. 

The first night audience at Mayflower Theatre were so captivated by Calamity Jane that the curtain call went a little crazy with foot stomping, clapping, cheering, and even a spot of line dancing in the aisles.

Carrie Hope Fletcher shines in the lead role in this energetic revival based on the 1953 classic musical Western film starring Doris Day.

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Calamity Jane is the fearless, gun slinging tomboy always up for a fight with the lads in Deadwood city, a wild west outpost in the hills of Dakota.

It takes the arrival of beautiful stage star Adelaid Adams from Chicago for her to realise she might be in love with the dashing local Lieutenant or, alternatively, her best friend, the notorious Wild Bill Hickok. 

The tangled love triangle (or rather love square) finally culminates in a double wedding.

As you can tell, there is no real plot to keep up with, but with the ever present and rather exceptional ensemble switching effortlessly from playing various instruments with aplomb, to country dancing to creating the community around Calamity, it never drags for a second. In fact, there's never a dull moment. 

(Image: Mayflower Theatre) From guitars and fiddles to trumpets and banjos, the musicianship is seamless and an absolute delight with the score - including Deadwood Stage, Just Blew In From The Windy City and Black Hills of Dakota - instantly recognisable. It certainly kept my parents and I singing and toe-tapping all evening. 

The set is a brilliant replica of a quaint Western saloon with great props and the travelling scenes are real highlights. I particularly enjoyed the creative ways of bringing transport to life, the wagon with its bobbing parasols and horse whinnies was brilliant.

Calamity Jane is not the most dynamic production you will see on the Mayflower Theatre stage this year, but it's a harmless piece of highly entertaining fun.

There's nothing quite like a rousing finale and this was certainly one for the memory bank. 

Calamity Jane runs until Saturday. Tickets from mayflower.org.uk

(Image: Mayflower Theatre)