Review: Gallus in Weegieland – Tron Theatre, Glasgow

Many’s the performer who’d love to play the villain in a Glasgow pantomime; it’s rare, however, to find one played so well that the audience forgets to boo because they are too busy cheering. In Gallus in Weegieland, the Tron Theatre’s latest dive into festive anarchy, Louise McCarthy does exactly that.

Wonderland in Tracksuits

Written by Scotland’s reigning panto-doyen Johnny McKnight and directed by Sally Reid, this year’s offering drags Lewis Carroll’s classic through a (Glasgow) West End pothole and dumps it into a fluorescent underworld of loveable bams, “Burbry” tracksuits, and glowsticks. This is a production that plays strongly to affectionate Glaswegian stereotypes, mashing the Carroll mythos into something distinctly Weegie.

It is often the curse of the Panto Hero to be the dullest person in the room—the straight man to the surrounding madness. As the titular Gallus, Jorgey Scott-Learmonth makes the most of a script that offers little room to evolve; we are told she changes rather than seeing it happen. Yet, Scott-Learmonth brings a commendable, bright energy to the role. She possesses enough pep and stage presence to avoid being sidelined by the powerhouses surrounding her, holding her own in a part that, in lesser hands, might have faded into the scenery.

Many’s the performer who’d love to play the villain in a Glasgow pantomime; it’s rare, however, to find one played so well that the audience forgets to boo…

She is backed by an ensemble that refuses to surrender to caricature. Catriona Faint reimagines the Mad Hatter (here a sarcastic mouse with a penchant for tea puns) as the show’s most nuanced character. Neither entirely good nor bad, it is a strong showing in a role that feels slightly underdeveloped—one wishes the script had explored this moral ambiguity a little deeper.

A Powerhouse in Polyester

But let’s be clear: this is a theatrical event anchored by a sensational turn from Louise McCarthy. A multi-talented powerhouse with comedic patter for days, she tackles a dual role with relish. First as Madam Rot, a filter-free ballet teacher, and later re-emerging as Queenie, the beheading-prone monarch of Weegieland. Her stage presence is abundant, her singing voice cracking, and her ability to land a well-timed gurn is second to none. Her Act One highlight, “Queen of Your Heart,” is a masterclass in comedic singing.

**The cast of Gallus in Weegieland in action – credit Mihaela Bodlovic**

In the hilarity stakes, she is supported ably by Marc MacKinnon as Honey the Caterpillar. Somewhere between vaudeville and Biggins, he plays a lonely cabaret clairvoyant whose warnings of doom are hilariously ignored.

The sonic landscape backing these performances is a significant step up from standard panto fare. Composer Ross Brown delivers a score of competent, disco-influenced power pop that channels everything from Lady Gaga to Natalie Cole, providing a strong backbone for the madness.

Diamonds, Stripes, and Disco

Director Reid deserves significant credit for preventing this wild reimagining from descending into chaos. She maintains a pace that allows the story to tick along with sufficient momentum, yet refuses to sacrifice character beats for speed. It’s just as well, given there aren’t as many of these as I’d like.

This control is matched by the production’s striking aesthetic. Kenny Miller’s set is a visual feast of vibrant diamonds and stripes—a “lovingly created madhouse” that provides the perfect backdrop for the action. The visual energy is mirrored by Eva Forrester’s continually lively choreography, ensuring that the movement on stage pops just as vividly as the costumes.

If the production stumbles, it is in the narrative arc. The romance between Gallus and Knavey (Star Penders) is a “love at first sight” affair that feels surprisingly traditional for a McKnight script. One keeps expecting a subversion of the trope that never arrives, though casting Penders keeps the Principal Boy tradition alive and queer. Furthermore, the finale struggles to sell the genuine peril of the guillotine; we know it’s a family show, but the stakes feel notably low.

The Verdict

Despite these narrative niggles, the hit rate of the humour is incredibly high. Refreshingly, the script relies little on quips about political or wider social matters to get a laugh. This is a funny panto not because it chases the news cycle, but because McKnight, Reid, and the cast possess impeccable instincts, timing and schtick.

The banter between heroes and villains alike is super—sharp, witty, and relentless—peppered with inside jokes about the Scottish theatre industry and deadpan quips that would make Chick Murray proud.

Ultimately, this is another solid entry from the pen of McKnight. While perhaps not his absolute best in terms of plotting, the sheer force of the performances elevates it. Thanks to McCarthy in particular, Gallus in Weegieland remains a superior, hilarious, and joyful seasonal offering that proves the Tron still knows exactly what it’s doing.

Featured Image: Louise McCarthy and the cast of Gallus in Weegieland – credit Mihaela Bodlovic