Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
From Edinburgh Fringe to Glasgow
Monklands success story heads west
Fresh from wowing audiences with a sold- out show at the Edinburgh Fringe, Airdrie actor and writer John Crossan is now set to bring his cracking comedy to Glasgow.
The 23-year-old student co-penned the Deep Fried production with Coatbridge man, and school pal, Kyle Hamill, 22, and the tale of a failing Scottish fast-food chain was a hit with crowds in the capital in August.
Now Glass Knuckles Productions, the theatre company founded by John and three of his classmates at Edinburgh’s Napier University, have teamed up with Glasgow sketch group Weegie Hink Ae That? for a one-night only joint-show tomorrow evening.
Audiences at Glasgow’s Websters Theatre will be treated to performances of both Deep Fried and Weegie Hink Ae That?’s hit show Where Ye Fae? – which also went down a storm at the Fringe, selling out during its run.
An excited John, a former pupil at St Margaret’s High School, told the Advertiser: “Deep Fried had a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and it was a huge success.
“Crowds loved the show and we got a lot of positive feedback afterwards, which was absolutely brilliant.
“Off the back of the show’s success in Edinburgh, we joined forces with Weegie Hink Ae That? and decided to put on a one-night only performance of both productions.
“The shows will contain mostly the same content as the Fringe performances with some added tweaks, including new material from Weegie Hink Ae That? and a recasting of one of the roles in Deep Fried.
“Weegie Hink Ae That? have a founding member from Coatbridge – Elliot Hannigan – so between him, Kyle and I there is a real Monklands connection.”
John, from Petersburn but now living in Edinburgh as he enters the fourth year of his acting and English degree, drew from his own experiences when writing Deep Fried.
The show follows a university dropout as he ventures into the world of fastfood chain Colonel McBurgers and the inspiration came from John’s day job.
He explained: “I’ve worked in McDonald’s for three years and it has always been great fun.
“Some of the people I’ve worked with are such a laugh and we just started taking bits and pieces from all of their personalities and humour for Deep Fried and ended up with a bunch of really funny characters.
“I co-wrote with Kyle and, as well as producing the show, I also star in it as old-timer George. He’s an easy-going guy who loves to steal ice-cream and skive in the toilets.”
John added: “Kyle is a more experienced writer, constantly developing new and exciting ideas, so when I originally came up with the plan for Deep Fried I knew he was the man to help me bring it to life.
“After this joint-show tomorrow night, Kyle and I are planning to start work on developing some of the other projects we have in mind.”
The joint Deep Fried and Where Ye Fae? show gets underway tomorrow at 7.30pm in the Websters Theatre and is for over-14s only.
Tickets cost £ 11.50 for adults and £10 for concessions and are available now from www.webstersglasgow.com/ events/deep-fried-ye-fae/
See www.facebook.com/ glassknuckles4.