Panto’s a real fairytale for Clare Gray as she carries on a family tradition

Clare Gray has enjoyed a busy 2022 with television work but nothing compares to treading the boards to round off the year.

Daughter of City Lights and pantomime legend Andy Gray, who sadly passed away in January 2021, Clare has been carrying on the family tradition.

She had the chance to work with Andy in the Edinburgh panto at the King’s a few years ago and she’s gone on to become a regular in the returning cast in one of the country’s most popular festive shows.

Gray still fondly recalls watching her dad entertain audiences every Christmas. She said: “My love of theatre first came from seeing my dad on stage. He was doing panto before I was born, so it’s in my blood.

“I’ve been going to watch pantos ever since I can remember and watching my dad from the wings.

“I have a four-year-old girl now, and it used to feel so special watching my dad on the stage when I was a child – it was magical. And now I can give my daughter that feeling. I feel really lucky.

“It’s a huge part of my life and something I really adore, and it is such an important part of our Scottish culture. For a lot of people, it’s one of the main nights of their year – going with their family to the panto – and it’s such a special thing.

“I’m so thrilled to be able to do it again this year, and in such a fantastic production.”

Gray joins Edinburgh panto stalwarts Allan Stewart and Grant Stott, alongside River City and Scot Squad star Jordan Young, The Nest’s Liz Ewing, Brian James Leys from River City and newcomer Francesca Ross in Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs. She plays Lavinia, daughter of Lord Lucifer.

The cast is hoping for no interruptions this year, following the cancelled performance in 2020 and then last winter’s run being cut short due to another wave of Covid, which once again closed live theatre.

“It was so disappointing last year, and we were all so gutted after such a rubbish couple of years,” she commented. “So this year, we are all saying we must complete this.”

Gray has had a number of projects to work on in 2022.

“The year has been good to me,” she smiled. “I was doing a police drama in Belfast for six months called Blue Light, which will be on BBC1, and a couple of months ago I was doing Outlander. That was a bit intimidating because it’s such a big show, but I really enjoyed it and again it’s a learning experience being on a production like that.

“After such a drought because of Covid, this year has been pretty kind to me and I’m delighted to be finishing the year with the panto.”

It will be slightly different this time around, though, due to the King’s – the long-time home of Edinburgh’s pantomime – being closed for refurbishment. Instead, this year’s will take place at the Festival Theatre, where the stage dimensions are much different from the King’s.

“We always rehearse at the Festival Theatre, so we’re familiar with it in that way, but being on stage when it comes time for the show is going to be very different,” Gray said.

“This is my fourth panto, but the previous three were at the King’s, so it’s going to feel surreal for a while being at the Festival Theatre. I can’t comprehend how it’ll feel for Allan and Grant to be coming here after so long at the King’s.”

The cast and audience at Edinburgh’s panto have long enjoyed a special connection that few other pantos can boast of and Gray believes this is down to the feeling of familiarity.

“I think because of Allan and Grant and Jordan and my dad, the characters are so warm and you feel like you know them. They get stuck in people’s hearts.

“It’s the time of year when families go to the theatre and once they’ve been once, they tend to return.”

Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, December 17-January 22