STILL Game star Jane McCarry says performing in front of 500 people in panto in Greenock is no different to facing an audience of 11,000 at a packed out Hydro as gossip-loving OAP Isa.

The Glasgow actress, who is also famed for her role as Granny Murray in children’s show Me Too!, is in town to play the role of the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella at the Beacon.

Jane, 44, has arrived in Greenock fresh from a record-breaking 21-night run in the Still Game live show at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, where she played to more than 200,000 people during a sell-out stint.

But the lovable actress says she will be just as nervous in the Beacon’s 500-seat main theatre when the curtain goes up tomorrow night as she was in front of 11,000 each night in Glasgow.

In an exclusive interview with the Tele, Jane said: “I don’t think it makes any difference I really don’t.

“Because it was a stadium and the music was booming it was like ‘wow’.

“But I didn’t feel any more nervous than I will feel on the opening night here.

“It’s really about being on that stage with those people, making sure you connect with them and have a good time and put on a good show.

“In this space you’ll get instant feedback and you’ll be able to see faces whereas with the Hydro sometimes there’s a wee bit of a delay because people will be laughing the whole way around.

“You’re waiting on 11,000 people and sometimes you can’t wait for them all to stop laughing!

“I feel you connect much more with the audience in a smaller venue.

“It’s a completely different thing, but I certainly would say I will enjoy the Beacon as much as I enjoyed the Hydro.” Jane will take her place alongside a talented cast, including returning River City actor Paul James Corrigan, Samantha Shields, who was also in the Beacon panto 12 months ago, Paul McCole, from High Times and The Limmy Show, James Young, who has appeared in Chewin’ the Fat and Still Game, and Port Glasgow actor Craig Anthony Ralston.

Jane says it is a top line-up and the audience are in for another treat following the huge success of the Beacon’s maiden pantomime last year.

She added: “It’s a wee bit different. It’s still very traditional but it’s updated, it’s a fresh script. Everybody is coming at it with loads of energy, there’s a great cast and I’m sure it will be a fantastic wee show.

“So please come along – bring your tomatoes if you want to throw them – but come, get a ticket!” Jane also runs Pipe Up with Mark Cox – who plays Tam in Still Game – and juggles this with bringing up a young family. But she can’t wait to add panto to her busy schedule and says Greenock is the perfect place for her to be performing.

The actress said: “Life is busy but it’s good – it’s great to be busy.

“I said to Mark I don’t know if I’ll have time to work on our other stuff and he said ‘you’re no deed, you’re only doing panto – you can work in the mornings!

“So I’ll be doing that then two shows here.

“I bring the kids down here quite often and we walk the dog up and down the front and sometimes visit the outdoor pool.

“We came down quite a lot in the summer and it is beautiful, you couldn’t have nicer surroundings.

“At the Beacon there’s the bistro, a lovely view, nice cast, great theatre and it’s half an hour up the road at night – you can’t really get any better.” For panto tickets and more information visit www.beaconartscentre.co.uk or call the box office on 723723.