ACCLAIMED Scottish music, stage and TV star Terry Neason will make a rare solo appearance in Greenock to entertain local fans.

Best known for her roles as Edith Piaf in ‘Piaf’, treading the boards in the hugely-successful ‘Glasgow Girls’ and starring alongside Paul O’Grady in ‘Cell Block ‘H’ The Musical’, the popular entertainer will combine her love of music, acting and comedy in her new show ‘Diva, Smiles, Heartbeat ‘n’ Soul’, which is on at the Beacon Arts Centre next Thursday.

Terry is teaming up with long-time friend and musician, Brian Prentice, for a night of singing, poetry and laughs.

She will be performing tracks from her new album ‘Heartbeat and Soul’ and will also dip into her repertoire with her own interpretations of hits from the likes of Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel to Prince and The Proclaimers.

The award-winning entertainer will also be on stage in Paisley and Strathaven but says she is particularly excited for the curtain-raiser in Greenock.

She said: “The Glasgow Girls was a huge success and we kicked it off and previewed it at the Beacon before we went to Edinburgh.

“It’s a beautiful theatre, it’s lovely, a special place.

“I’m in the upper gallery as well and the show is cabaret-style, which means people can have a nice little dram, sit back and relax and enjoy that amazing view.

“I have poetry, which is like comedic poetry, and I tend to act it, dramatise it and use different voices and characters.

“It’s the same with the songs as well, I do some comedic music within the show and use different characters. Plus, I have about six or seven of my own compositions and some great covers.

“The audience will get value for money, they always get value for money.

The Glasgow-born singer songwriter shot to fame performing on stage with two of Scotland’s top companies, 7:84 and Wildcat Stage Productions, and also hosted The Terry Neason Show on STV during her glittering career.

She has performed all over the world and in London’s West End alongside TV host O’Grady who she became close friends with.

Terry said: “I’m good chums with him.

“He’s been playing my stuff on his radio programme, which is great.

“We worked together doing Cell Block ‘H’ The Musical and I played ‘Top Dog’ and it was marvellous.

“Everybody was there, even folk like Cher, because Paul is so loved and well-known by all these really mega famous people.”

Terry Neason & Brian Prentice: Diva, Smiles, Heartbeat ‘n’ Soul is on at the Beacon next Thursday at 7.30pm.
For tickets visit www.beaconartscentre.co.uk or call 723723.