OUTLANDISH comic characters taking to the big stage at the Scottish Entertainment Campus (SEC) in Glasgow. No, I’m not talking about UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and co appearing at the recent COP26 climate summit.
Rather, it’s the news that Scottish comedy lovers have the chance to see not one, but two of their TV favourites in Aladdin, the upcoming pantomime at the famous SEC Armadillo venue. Much-loved TV character Gary: Tank Commander (comic alter ego of actor and writer Greg McHugh) will take the lead in a cast that will include Sanjeev Kohli (Still Game’s Navid) as the panto baddie Abanazar (pictured far right).
Kohli is a late addition to the cast, replacing his Still Game co-star Gavin Mitchell, who had to withdraw from the show as he is suffering with long Covid. The actor is no stranger to the SEC campus, having performed as Navid in the Still Game Live shows in the vast Hydro venue.
However, Aladdin does mark the pantomime debut for Kohli who, in addition to his famous role in Still Game, co-created the long-running and award-winning radio comedy Fags, Mags And Bags (in which he also stars). “I’m very excited to be doing my very first panto with such brilliant and talented pals,” the actor says.
“I’ve always loved pantomime and getting to star in one has been a dream of mine for a while, so I can’t wait to take to the stage. Playing the bad guy is always a great laugh so I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
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McHugh, for his part, is something of a panto veteran. Following an early foray into the pantosphere at Glasgow’s King’s Theatre, his Gary: Tank Commander (aka Corporal Gary McLintoch) first conquered the Armadillo in 2017, and he has become the main man ever since.
THE SEC Christmas show needed the consistency McHugh has brought, given that its casts were led hitherto by an ever-shifting kaleidoscope of big-stage talent. Over a number of years, Armadillo audiences flocked to see the likes of John Barrowman, David Hasselhoff, The Krankies and even the Clydebank crooner himself Marti Pellow.
In addition to his success in SEC pantos, McHugh enjoyed three sold-out nights at the Hydro when he brought back Gary: Tank Commander for a series of big-stage live shows. Although hailing from Edinburgh, the actor is more than at home in Glasgow, where he undertook his training at what is now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
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Kohli and McHugh will be joined in Aladdin by comedian and singer Leah MacRae, who will play the role of Mrs Twankey. Best known as Ellie McLean in River City, the actor is no stranger to comedy, having co-starred with McHugh in Gary: Tank Commander. She has also appeared in Rab C Nesbitt, The Karen Dunbar Show, Comedy Lab and Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps.
The show’s talented cast also includes Blythe Jandoo, whose West End musical credits include Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and Disney’s Aladdin.
She will perform alongside Fintry-born Brian James Leys, who joined River City, playing the character Ash King, earlier this year. Leys also has an impressive CV of work in London’s West End, performing in many big-stage musicals, ranging from Les Misérables to Motown The Musical and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
Also joining the cast is actor Rachel Flynn, who is an experienced stage performer with a string of pantomimes to her name. Her TV credits include BBC show Doctors.
Aladdin is at the SEC Armadillo, Glasgow, December 11-29: sec.co.uk
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