WHO could not love the Home Alone baddies, the hapless clowns who constantly get their come-uppance?

Now, a couple of baddies not dissimilar to the movie characters have been transferred and time-travelled all the way to the Pavilion Theatre, just in time for the opening of panto.

Leah MacRae stars as one of the baddies in Santa Clause Is Coming To Town, playing Hank The Plank.

And she loves the idea of being bad.

“So long as I can be a comedy baddie,” qualifies the actress who currently stars in BBC Scotland soap as careworker Ellie McLean.

“You see, I love children. And of the reasons I love panto is the chance to see the kids’ faces light up.

“Panto is an incredibly magical experience. But the problem is when you play the baddie you do get the kids’ upset.

“It really bothered me at first. But then you come to realise that the kids may be a little bit afraid of the baddie at first, but then they get the story and start to boo with the best of them.”

Leah, who lives in the south side of Glasgow adds; “What will happen in this show is the kids will actually be laughing at the baddies.

“When these two clowns try to wreck Christmas they get what’s coming to them.

“And there’s nothing better than hearing kids laugh.”

Leah, who starred in the hit stage show 51 Shades of Magge, the spoof on the Fifty Shades of Grey book, is appearing at the Pavilion alongside Tyler Collins, the American actor.

“He’s great to work with. He’s just so funny and we get up to all sorts of mischief together.

“They’re clowns and there is loads of slapstick in there. The audiences will love it. And we’ve worked together on Real Hoosewives of Glesga.”

The actress who once played ditsy Julie in Gary: Tank Commander adds; “He’s such a physical comic and he can really do amazing things with his body on stage.”

This year’s Pavilion panto represents a radical break from tradition.

The likes of Cinderella and Aladdin have been put back in the box of fairy tales because the Pavilion has come up with its very own show.

The Santa story sees the baddies trying to steal the kids[‘ presents, they try to steal the Fairy, and wreck Christmas.

“It’s a magical wee story,” says Leah, and the sets are absolutely fantastic. They look like something out of the movie Elf.”

The first panto Leah ever saw was at Langside College in Glasgow.

“It was Aladdin, and starring Joe McFadden (currently of Holby City) and he was fantastic in it.

“I loved it, and I went on to attend Langside College. It’s from seeing that first panto I decided I wanted to be an actor.”

Leah adds; “That’s why I think panto is so important. It’s usually kids’ first experience of theatre and if it’s a good panto they remember that for ever.”

The first professional panto Leah appeared in was the Tron Theatre in 2007.

“It was Sleeping Beauty and I played Porky the Pig, who happened to turn into a princess.

“That was a fun wee character to play.

That sums up the world of acting; one minute you’re luncheon meat, the next minute you’re wearing a sparkly dress and a tiara.

“Totally,” she says, grinning.

“I’ve since played Fairy at lot, four times I think, and I was in the first panto which re-opened the Gaiety in Ayr.”

There were technical problems in the first performance. The pyrotechnics which were supposed to set off and announce the Fairy’s arrival with a flash, stage left, actually happened stage right.

“I had to make the most of this for comedy so I just said ‘Wrang button, stupit,’ in the direction of the wings and that got a huge laugh.

“She was a really gallus fairy.”

Leah doesn’t really mind whether she’s a Fairy or a Baddie.

“Whether you get laughs or boos it’s all the same. You’re getting a reaction, you’re engaging with the audience and that’s what matters.

“I’d say though the Baddie is harder to play though. What you’ve got to do is get the audience all riled up, but then you have to get them to stop so’s you can hear what you have to say.”

She adds, laughing; “But very often they end up raging with you and you can’t get them to shut up.

“Ultimately, they do want to hear the story, but they do love to boo.”

There is one downside to starring in panto. You don’t get to relax over Christmas.

“We only get Christmas day off,” says Leah, smiling, “and in the run up you really have to look after yourself, especially your throat.

“So it’s not a party time for the performers. But having said all that, the cast have a great time.

“We all go for meals together and sip Lucozade.”

The actress adds, smiling; “And to be honest, I’m a big kid when it comes to panto. I really can’t believe I’m in this world.”

And the world of River City.

“Oh, I love that too. If they ever decide to get rid of me they’ll have to kill me.”

• Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, the Pavilion Theatre, November 25 – January 17.