Spellbinding pantomimes

Aladdin

King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Sat until Jan 6

PAUL-JAMES Corrigan is counting down the days until this year’s pantomime at the King’s in Glasgow begins.

With a who’s who of Scottish stage and screen having tread the theatre’s boards during previous festive seasons, the former River City actor always had his eye on the venue as the place he wanted to perform panto.

“The first panto I saw was at The King’s, with Elaine C Smith starring in Mother Goose,” said Paul-James. “I always wanted to be in panto. “I did The Beacon first, which is a great wee theatre, for a couple of years and then I went with producers QDOS and got the King’s in Edinburgh. But Glasgow is where I wanted to be. For me, this is the best theatre and there is nothing like a Glasgow audience.

“Last year was my first panto at the King’s in Glasgow and it’s great being back.

“I play the Palace Guard, a not-very-good bad guy.”

Starring alongside Paul-James again is Elaine C Smith as Widow Twankey and Johnny Mac as Wishee Washee.

Paul-James, who spent much of the year on tour in Sunshine On Leith, the musical based on the songs of The Proclaimers, played Stevie Burns on River City and was Adam in Gary: Tank Commander.

But it’s quite possible none of these career highlights would have happened had Paul-James not taken a risk and walked away from his old job.

“I worked in a cake factory and my mate there was doing a music course at Coatbridge College, so he had a form filled in for me for the acting class. A while later, the college called and said they wanted to see me that day, but I told them I was working and they hung up.

“But I thought about it and put my hand up to ask to go to the toilet, which is what we had to do there, and then I just walked out and went to the college.

“I had buttercream and jam all over me, and I realised I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do in the audition.

“When I went in, they asked me what I had prepared.

“I had watched 12 Monkeys with Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis the night before, so I did a scene from that and a couple of days later I was offered a place on the course.

“I think I would have missed my chance had I not walked out of work that day.

“I know I would have left eventually, but I’m glad it was for this reason.”