
Professional theatre company staging summer family pantomime in Ayrshire
A professional theatre company will play it for laughs when they stage a summer family pantomime this week.
Ayr-based Ginger & Jester Productions, a local theatre firm led by industry professionals, present their newest production Hansel & Gretel, which was never done as a pantomime before.
Abbie Watson, co-producer, choreographer and musical director, said: "We are really looking forward to Hansel & Gretel. It's never been done as a pantomime before but we think it works really well and everyone will love it.
"We have some students from our Ayrshire Youth Theatre (AYT) in it as well as professional actors, but the whole cast is outstanding - the comedy, the singing, everything.
"Our youngest cast member who's playing Gretel is brilliant. She first came to AYT as we were rehearsing for The Wicked of Oz. She played Auntie Gem, and absolutely raised the roof, so she's definitely one to look out for.
"The audience can expect toe tapping tunes, bent over laughter and just a right good time out to see a show."
Abbie, 31, with co-producer Jerry Taylor, who is also a writer and director, have done three productions since they started the company in December 2024.
Their newest production is running from this Thursday, July 24 until Saturday, July 26 with shows starting at 7pm, as well as a Saturday Matinee show at 2pm. The show will be held at The Tattie Shack in Monktonhill.
Abbie added: "A very big shout out to Lizanne and Andrew from The Tattie Shack who have been absolutely amazing and have bent over backwards for us. The team and staff there are all so welcoming and friendly as well as the food being delicious."
Abbie and Jerry have also bagged a huge deal as the new producers of Cumbernauld Theatre's Christmas pantomime, Baltic, later this year.
The panto will be running from November 22 until December 24.
Abbie said: "This is a huge scale panto and we can't wait to get started. Our cast are phenomenal and the team at Cumbernauld are absolutely a dream to work with. As well as that, we are also producing a Family Pantomime in Ayr at the same time, Beauty & the Beast, which will be held at Belmont Academy on December 20 and December 21."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
I've splashed £1million to get the world's smallest waist -all my organs moved around because of it but I'm not done yet
Aleira wants to beat the record of Cathie Jung, who currently has the world's smallest waist WAIST A SEC I've splashed £1million to get the world's smallest waist -all my organs moved around because of it but I'm not done yet A WOMAN has revealed that she has spent over £1 million trying to get the world's smallest waist. Aleira Avendano, 33 has spent two decades cinching her waist down to just 18 inches, 16 inches smaller than the average British woman's. Advertisement 2 Aleira wants to have the world's skinniest waist Credit: Instagram aleiraoficial_sexy 2 She's spent £1 million on her unique look Credit: Instagram aleiraoficial_sexy The Florida-based yoga instructor has achieved her tiny waist by wearing a corset, and is determined to beat the current record held by 86-year-old Cathie Jung, whose waist is just 15 inches. Aleira's controversial methods have caused her internal organs to "shift and adjust" to new spots. However, despite the dangers, Aleira, who is originally from Venezuela, isn't ready to quit. "I find it challenging when it comes to buying clothes, as nothing fits," she told NeedToKnow. Advertisement "My sizes are unique, and I have naturally wide hips." "I have to have clothes custom-made for me. It's been a major investment – enhancements, treatments and healthy food. "A huge commitment. Honestly, my body should be insured." As well as spending £1 million on her waist whittling mission, Aleira has also spent £471,000 on cosmetic surgeries, including seven boob jobs, four nose jobs and veneers. Advertisement Aleira previously claimed that all woman "should have plastic surgery to be truly beautiful." And despite the health risks, Aleira has encouraged others to try and get a waist like hers. The 45-second trick to get a snatched waist that Love Island star swears by At the start of her waist cinching journey, Aleira wore a corset six hours a day, but she has now ramped this up to 23 hours. Wearing a corset comes with a myriad of issues, such as breathing difficulties, organ compression and muscle atrophy. Advertisement The model has now launched her own brand of shapewear, to help people achieve her "one of a kind look". "My shapewear line will change many lives" she said. What are the dangers of wearing corsets? Wearing corsets, a fashion practice that dates back centuries, can pose significant medical risks despite their aesthetic appeal. One of the primary concerns is the potential for internal organ damage. Corsets, especially when tightly laced, can compress the ribs and exert pressure on internal organs such as the liver, stomach, and intestines. This compression can lead to displacement and deformation of these organs, potentially causing digestive issues, reduced lung capacity, and impaired circulation. Breathing difficulties are another serious risk associated with corset use. The constriction of the rib cage can limit the expansion of the lungs, leading to shallow breathing and decreased oxygen intake. Over time, this can result in respiratory problems and reduced stamina. In extreme cases, prolonged use of tightly laced corsets can lead to conditions like atelectasis, where parts of the lungs collapse due to inadequate ventilation. Additionally, corsets can affect the musculoskeletal system. The constant pressure and altered posture imposed by a corset can weaken core muscles, leading to muscle atrophy and decreased strength. This can result in long-term back pain and poor posture once the corset is removed. There is also a risk of nerve compression, which can lead to numbness, tingling, and in severe cases, nerve damage. While modern corsets are often designed to be less restrictive than their historical counterparts, the potential health risks remain. It is essential for individuals to be aware of these risks and to use corsets sparingly and with caution. Consulting with medical professionals before incorporating corsets into regular wear can help mitigate some of these risks and ensure that any adverse effects are promptly addressed. "It's a gentle product with incredible results, created by me and inspired by the story of my own body." Aleria added: "I don't miss my old figure at all. Advertisement "People react in different ways. "Some follow me, some feel nervous, and others admire me or see my body as something crazy." She added that men "can't get enough" of her "exotic" figure.

The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Almost 1000 people gather in Edinburgh to watch man fold fitted sheet
A stand-up comedian from New Zealand, Dan Boerman, has gone viral on social media after he was able to draw a crowd of hundreds of people to watch him successfully fold a fitted sheet at the top of Calton Hill on Friday. The UK-based performer said it was probably the 'craziest marketing stunt' of his career as videos circulating on social media show droves of people cheering Boerman on as he completed the task. Explaining why he decided to pull the stunt, Boerman said that he didn't have thousands of dollars to promote his show at this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival and had to 'think outside the box' to advertise it. READ MORE: 'The welcome he deserves': TikToker goes viral praising National's Trump front page Along with the short video, which has raked up almost 15,000 likes on Instagram alone, Boerman said: 'Yesterday I summoned almost a 1000 people to the top of Calton Hill to watch me fold a fitted sheet in what was probably the craziest marketing stunt of my career. 'Somebody who legally wasn't me put these fliers all around town. 'Word began to spread in group chats and all across social media. 'By the time of the event, nearly 1000 people showed up to watch the action take place. 'If you don't have rich parents and thousands of dollars for PR, sometimes you just got to think outside the box and everyone there was super excited and had a great time.' In another post on Instagram, the comedian wrote that several other people attempted to fold the sheet, with varying success. He also thanked the hundreds of people who gathered for creating a 'fun' atmosphere. Boerman wrote: 'A couple punters from the crowd stepped forward to try themselves. 'One crushed it. One… gave it an honest go. 'Thank you so much to everyone who came through today. Such a fun atmosphere.' The Dan Boerman Folds a Fitted Sheet on His Own show will be running at The Apex Conference Center in the capital from August 1 to 25 at 2pm each day. The self-proclaimed 'high-energy and chaotic Kiwi comedy' describes his hour-long show as a love letter to 'our better halves and/or our situationships,' which you can find tickets for here. The comedian said he has returned to the festival this year after selling out his shows in Edinburgh last year and has just returned to the UK after touring Melbourne and New Zealand.


Edinburgh Reporter
6 hours ago
- Edinburgh Reporter
Discussion on dementia stories to follow UK premiere of Lost Lear at Traverse on Sunday evening
A special discussion around telling stories of dementia will follow the first UK performance of Lost Lear at The Traverse on Sunday 27 July. The new show by award-winning Irish theatre maker Dan Colley is a moving look at living with dementia, told through the familiar lens of Shakespeare's characters Following the preview performance on the 27 July, Dan will be joined by Alex Howard and Gus Harrower from Capital Theatres dementia-friendly programme and Magdalena Schamberger, who specialises in creating theatre for those with dementia Lost Lear will run on the main stage at the Traverse from 2 to 24 August Following its first-ever UK performance at Traverse Festival on 27 July, the hit Irish theatre show Lost Lear will host a special public discussion around telling the complex stories of dementia in theatre. The discussion will feature Lost Lear's award-winning creator Dan Colley, who will be joined by Alex Howard and Gus Harrower from Capital Theatres Edinburgh's dementia-friendly programme and Scotland-based theatre-maker and consultant Magdalene Schamberger, who has over 20 years experience working with people living with dementia. The discussion will look at the initial creation of Lost Lear and its collaborations between Dementia Carers Campaign Network and the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland. The play itself, a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's King Lear, examines how we know ourselves and who we are to each other, amidst the complexities of dementia. The discussion will also be a chance for audiences to talk about how the show has resonated with their own experiences of living with and caring for those with dementia, with an invite being sent out to people from local dementia communities. 'Dan collaborated with the Dementia Carers Campaign Network (DCCN), an advocacy group supported by The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, in the early days of writing this play.' says Judy Williams, Advocacy, Engagement and Participation Officer for The Alzheimer Society of Ireland. 'Through focus groups, carers shared their experiences, shaping Dan's approach to the play. For the DCCN, the project was compelling, inclusive, and in some ways, healing. It also provided new opportunities for carers to share their stories, while raising awareness about the challenges they face. We were very grateful for the opportunity to have this engagement with Dan and Matt, and we wish them all the best at the Edinburgh Fringe 2025. We hope as many people as possible have the opportunity to see this sophisticated and thought-provoking play.' 'Lost Lear is a captivating journey, from an energetic and rambunctious beginning to the poignant and gentle end, it portrays the bewilderment of someone who wants to care, trying to have the shared experience with the person living with dementia, struggling and sometimes failing.' says Susan Crampton of the Dementia Carers Campaign Network. 'I am delighted to hear that Lost Lear is going to Edinburgh and many more people will have the opportunity to see it for the first time – or again.' Lost Lear is a moving and darkly comic remix of Shakespeare's play told from the point of view of Joy, a person with dementia, who is living in an old memory of rehearsing King Lear. Joy's delicately maintained reality is upended by the arrival of her estranged son who, being cast as Cordelia, must find a way to speak his piece from within the limited role he's given. Using puppetry, projection and live video effects, the audience are landed in Joy's world as layers of her past and present, fiction and reality, overlap and distort. Lost Lear is a thought provoking meditation on theatre, artifice and the possibility of communicating across the chasms between us. Following rave reviews for its Irish premiere, where it picked up nominations for Best New Play, Audience Choice, Best AV Design and Best Supporting Actor at the Irish Times Theatre Awards, Lost Lear will have its UK premiere at the Traverse Festival in Edinburgh this August. Following its Fringe run, Lost Lear will tour to North America in Autumn 2025. Co-produced by Mermaid Arts Centre and Riverbank Arts Centre. Funded by the Arts Council of Ireland and supported by Fishamble's New Play Clinic. Part of the 2025 Culture Ireland Edinburgh Showcase. Traverse 1 Preview 27 July 7.30pm and 2 August 9.30pm Then 3 – 24 August (not Mondays) Times vary. Run time: 1 hr 15 min Tickets: £5 – £25 Like this: Like Related