Curtain up for Ya Wee Sleeping Beauty in Kirkcaldy - Scotland’s smallest panto

Ya Wee Sleeping Beauty II may be Scotland’s smallest professional panto with a cast of just five on a small stage too, but it is set to be a big hit with audiences.

The curtain goes up at the Kings Theatre in Kirkcaldy on Thursday (December 8) at the start of a run that will take it right through into mid-January 2023.

It opened with a preview show on Thursday with all seats at just £5 before jumping head first into a hectic schedule of evening performances plus matinees, relaxed performances, and a few for adults only on the other side of Hogmanay.

With a cost of living crisis hitting many families, ticket prices have also been pegged in a bid to make it affordable for as many people as possible.

The panto was a big hit when it launched in 2021 only to be scuppered by COVID and tightening restrictions which saw theatres having to close their doors. It managed just 12 of its scheduled 40 performances

But the team behind it has reunited for a second month-long run - and is looking forward to a busy schedule of show.

The panto remains very much a love letter to Kirkcaldy, but it has been rewritten and will feature new scenes, songs and sets - but will still be rooted in local humour.

The show utilises every inch of the theatre, and for the small team involved, both on stage and behind the scenes, means it’s all hands on deck.

Billy Mack, the doyen of panto dames in the Kingdom, returns as Dame Bev Park and is joined by a cast, all with strong connections to the Lang Toun, including Kirsty Strachan, Mark McDonnell, Sarah Brown Cooper and Robin Mackenzie.

Kirsty said: “It’s a great show and everyone was talking about it for a long time after last year’s shows.

“We had jokes about Kirkcaldy, and about the town and referenced its street names - and that had a huge impact. The people who came to see it were just in love with it.”

For Billy - the star of so many pantos at the Adam Smith Theatre - the stage is his home.

“There is a real buzz and adrenalin from performing, and in panto you do everything from dance routines to songs, sketches, and jokes - a rollercoaster of emotion!” he said.

The cast have been busy in rehearsals this month with finishing touches being put to the show this week before the doors open to audiences.

Jonathan Stone, director and writer, is looking forward to a busy run this Christmas.”

“I’m delighted everyone is returning,” he said. “We had such a great time last year. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but it was also a really special experience.

“We only managed 12 shows last year so there is some unfinished business.

“This may be a small show but it has a huge heart.

“We made a promise to be back and finish what we started. Now the promise is fulfilled.”

Ya Wee Sleeping Beauty is at the Kings Theatre until January 15. Ticket details at: https://www.kingstheatrekirkcaldy.com/