Brian Beacom

GAVIN Mitchell smiles as he declares “We’re back in Morocco!’”

And he has every right to be beaming. The Still Game star, (he plays Boaby the Barman) is set to return to North Africa in the form of the Oran Mor stage.

Gavin plays Bogart’s Rick in Casablanca - The Gin Joint Cut, Morag Fullerton’s cut-down version of the film classic.

The show’s success has already seen the production travel to Paris, the Bahamas, London and play the Edinburgh Festival.

It makes sense the heavily-pastiched wartime romance drama should return to its spiritual home in Oran Mor, where it all began.

“It’s the show that never dies,” says Gavin, grinning.

“I’m almost as old as Bogie was when he popped his clogs.”

He adds; “And it’s the seventy-fifth anniversary of the movie this year. It would be crazy not to bring the play back.”

Gavin says the success of Morag Fullerton’s play is directly connected to the film’s enduring legacy.

“But you can’t really break it down and determine how it works,” he admits of the storyline.

“There were something like seven different writers attached to the film. And no one was sure how it would turn out until it was released.

“There wasn’t a bit of it hanging together. But it went on to become an Oscar winner. And with the stage show somehow Morag has been able to distil the essence of the film, the drama and the love story.”

He adds; “The alchemy is right, it all seems to work and audiences love it.”

The cast of just three includes Jimmy Chisholm and Clare Waugh, who play a range of characters.

Piano player Sam, we discover, is in fact a little statue.

It’s assumed the idea for the theatre play came about after Morag Fullerton saw Gavin, who’s renowned for his impressions, take off Bogart.

Not a bit of it. He was doing Liza Minnelli at the time.

“I had just been to see Liza in Glasgow and was telling Morag about it while doing the voice.”

He laughs; “I guess Morag must have thought any middle-aged man who can impersonate Minnelli must have a Bogie in him.”

Gavin acknowledges the risk involved in re-inventing such a classic.

“Yes, you’re aware you’re playing with the family jewels. And you’re on a tightrope. But it works. It really does resonate with the audience.

“You get people going all teary, saying it reminds them of their anniversary, and you get others cracking up with laughter.”

Gavin wasn’t surprised the stage show was a success in the likes of Paris.

“Everyone knows the story. Everyone gets it. And there is a lot of physical comedy and slapstick, which is universal.”

Such is the strength of Gavin’s Bogart, he had the chance to play him in the recent Still Game stage play.

“Boaby got to chat up women on the cruise ship and thanks to Ford and Greg it was nice to be able to do the voice.”

Gavin will be revisiting Boaby when the series returns to television.

“It’s great to be back with the Still Game team. I’m also working with playwright David Shrigley again.

“The last time I worked with him I played a giant, alcoholic egg and he’s planning a new one-man show for me.”

He adds; “I love to keep the arty side alive. It’s great to be able to vary the work I do.”

Gavin won’t be appearing in panto this year.

“I’d like to get the frock back on at some point but I made a decision to step back. To get some more me time.

“This year, for example, I went back to Berlin after thirty odd years where I used to be a DJ and a landscape gardener.”

Was he trying to recall the Gavin of thirty years ago?

“Yes, there was was something of that. And it’s a chance to realise how far you have travelled - or not.”

Thirty years ago he would never have imagined he’d one day be a national TV favourite, or travelling to the Caribbean with his Bogart.

“And thanks to Netflix the world has seen my Boaby,” he says, grinning. “And that’s lovely.”

* Casablanca, Oran Mor, until July 23. See website for details.