Brian Beacom

IT’S JUST as well Kay McAllister has got the hang of this kissing lark.

The young lady who grew up in Peebles always wanted desperately to become an actor.

But she explains the idea of connecting lips with a boy for the sake of performance, well, that just wasn’t on.

“I’ve always loved the idea of acting since I played Mary in the nativity play,” Kay recalls, grinning.

“But then I had this thought I couldn’t be an actor. I realised actors had to kiss people. And I couldn’t kiss someone if I wasn’t in love with them.”

Kay’s desire to retain purity of emotion (it has to be said she was only ten years-old at the time) called for the acting dream to be pushed aside.

But in her teens, the thespian resolve returned. Thankfully.

This week, Kay is starring in Oran Mor play Brigadoom, part of the Play, Pie and a Pint musical season.

And, yes, there is kissing involved in writer Tony Cox’s new play.

The story is set in New York at a point when composers Alan Jay Lerner (Graham MacKay Bruce) and Frederick ‘Fritz’ Loewe (Ali Watt) have just put the finishing touches to their musical Brigadoon and are holding auditions for the leading role of Fiona.

In walks young Scots actress, Heather Stuart (Kay), who sets the heather alight.

“Heather has come out of a music hall world and doesn’t know the etiquette of New York castings,” says Kay.

Heather, we learn, is a rather spirited young lady.

“She ends up asking questions about the film, and then she points out all the things wrong with the film’s premise.”

For example?

“The writers have accidentally set the film around the time of the Battle of Culloden. At first, Heather thinks this is exciting, and the battle could lend to big songs for a big musical.

“But Culloden isn’t even mentioned in the movie.”

She adds, grinning; “Heather realises since Fiona is a Stuart her whole family would most likely have been slaughtered.”

The historical errors in the Brigadoon script offer up the opportunity for Brigadoom to be something of a rallying call for Scottish identity.

But the play gets to send up the making of the film, offering real comedy value.

However, there’s more to Brigadoom than poking fun. After the initial clash between Heather and the writers, she and Lerner begin a brief love affair.

“It’s all great fun,” says Kay of the script. “I’ve been in fits of giggles every day during rehearsals.”

And she’s getting paid to perform. The 21 year-old Kay is still a second-year student at the Conservatoire. Kay isn’t even a student of musical theatre.

“The director of this show Erin Carter teaches the musical theatre course at RCS and I’m on the acting course.

“I met her at a workshop and when she was holding auditions she says she kept thinking of me for the part of Heather.”

Kay can sing. “But I never thought of applying for the part. I just figured there would be other people better qualified.”

Yet while Kay is undoubtably modest, that’s not to say she isn’t determined.

When she got over the kissing hurdle she decided to focus on becoming an actor and attended local theatre school.

“I realised I would be miserable if I didn’t at least give acting a shot.”

Kay gave it three very good shots. “I applied to RCS three times before I was accepted,” she says, her smile suggesting her stoicism.

“It was tough to get the knock backs, but it’s a good life lesson. It makes you take nothing for granted and when I did get accepted I was very, very happy.”

Kay’s Oran Mor success isn’t her first venture into the professional world. Last summer she made her first screen appearance in new ITV drama The Loch, starring Laura Fraser.

The part didn’t call for any screen kissing but if it had, Kay maintains she’s now fully trained in the art of fake snogging.

“They make you do a lot of it at drama school,” she says, grinning.

What, are there classes in Kissing? Do you start with air kissing and work your way up?

“Not exactly,” she says, laughing. “You just go for it. Full kisses.”

Audiences this week can check out Kay’s puckering potential for themselves.

*Brigadoom, Oran Mor, until Saturday.