IT “tossed a caber through the old weary panto routine” and had Glasgow on its feet in “wild applause” – A Wish for Jamie was a hit in the city in December 1960.
As pantos pick up steam in the run up to Christmas, we had a look back at some of our festive archives for some seasonal show gems.
A Wish for Jamie was an innovation when the Alhambra staged it 61 years ago.
Written by John Law and choreographed by Peter Darrell, who would go on to become the first artistic director at Scottish Ballet, it was the first all-Scottish panto, and a “sparkling production”, according to the Evening Times review following opening night.
READ MORE: Glasgow's 2021 pantos reviewed - here is our round-up of festive shows
“Howard and Wyndham boss Stewart Cruikshank, fulfilling an ambition to stage an all-Scottish panto, tossed a caber through the old weary panto routine and came up with a sparkling production that had the audience erupting in wild applause,” said our report.
“A Wish for Jamie has the gloss of a slick revue, a Disneyland of nursery-rhyme characters for the kids, Scottish spectacle blown up to wide-screen size ... It’s a show that could be subtitled ‘How to Please Everybody’.
“And it’s a triumph for Kenneth McKellar, round whom the panto has been built. Playing Jamie, he’s hardly ever off the stage and goes through a huge repertoire of Scottish songs.”
The panto also starred Rikki Fulton, Fay Lenore, Reg Varney and Russell Hunter; there were pipers and drummers, who marched down the aisle at the end of the first half.
The panto sold out its entire season within two weeks and A Wish for Jamie was a recurring
hit.
Meanwhile, in 1975, there were no happier children in the city than Joanna Barrett, Edward Gouther, Morven Paterson and Neil Jack, selected to appear in Babes in the Wood at the King’s Theatre, alongside the legendary Jimmy Logan.
Jimmy was back in action in 1982, this time in Jack and the Beanstalk with comedian Andy Cameron.
Back in 1941, spirits were needing lifted as the war continued, and gloomy reports filled the newspapers.
Thank goodness for Aladdin at the Pavilion, then, which starred Jack Anthony and GH Elliott.
“The bouquets which were presented to the leading members of the cast, at the end of last night’s first performance could be regarded as symbolising the large audience’s appreciation of an outstanding war-time show in which colourfulness of scenery and costume surpassed expectations,” reported our sister newspaper The Glasgow Herald.
It wasn’t the only show in town that week – the Empire’s attractions included the Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment) dance band, there was a new JB Priestley comedy, Goodnight Children, at the King’s, and Cinderella was at the Royal, starring Dave Willis, Maurice Colleano and Gaston Palmer.
What are your Glasgow panto memories?
Who have you seen on stage in the city’s Christmas extravaganzas over the years?
Get in touch with Times Past to share your stories and photos.
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