Maybe it’s time to lay the ghosts of pantos past to rest

Panto season is upon us – oh no it’s not! OK then, technically it starts in December, but having the fabulous Elaine C Smith – the Panto Queen! – on our cover this week has got me reminiscing about pantos past.

I have many wonderful memories of school trips, singalongs and scoffing sweeties while watching wide-eyed as my favourite fairytale characters came to life on stage. But one of my most abiding, and now very embarrassing, recollections was when I was around 11 or 12 years old and went to see Cinderella at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow. I don’t know if it was the raging hormones or being star struck by a famous guy off the telly, but I became absolutely entranced by Buttons, aka the late, great Gerard Kelly. And I wasn’t the only one. Every time he appeared on stage, the other girls and I screamed like fans at a Beatles gig.

After the show, we all waited at the stage door until a bemused Mr Kelly appeared (still in his green tights and red felt jacket) and kindly signed our programmes and, cringe, my arm. I’ve not been to panto since my secret shame, but for most Scots a trip to the theatre at Christmas time is an annual family tradition.

For Elaine, one of our most loved actresses, it has been a big part of her career for almost 25 years. In our interview, on Pages 6&7, she talks about her love of panto and looks back on an incredible career.

I think I’ll lay some ghosts to rest and venture back to the King’s this Christmas to see Elaine in Jack And The Beanstalk with my son. And maybe I’ll tell him about the time I met actual Buttons in real life.