A MATT McGinn pantomime not performed in Scotland for 25 years will be resurrected in the town where he lived.

The Acme Theatre Company is producing McGinn's long-lost Christmas show, The Incredible Brechin Beetle Bug, which will be performed on December 7 in Rutherglen, where Matt lived for many years.

It was last performed in Scotland in 1986 by the 7:84 Theatre Company.

The Calton-born folk singer, who died in 1977 at the age of 48, joined the folk scene after winning a song contest with a song called The Foreman O'Rourke.

He went on to perform at Carnegie Hall after meeting US singer Pete Seeger, in 1961 when Seeger was touring Britain.

Acme's production of the play is directed by Lawrence Crawford who, along with set designer Carter Ferguson, won a Scottish Bafta this year for independent film Fast Romance.

Lawrence discovered the long-lost panto when he met Matt's widow, Janette, earlier this year.

He said: "I wrote a production based on Matt's work which we called McGinn and performed in March.

"While speaking to Janette she mentioned Matt had written a panto.

"We managed to track down a copy and knew it would be perfect for our Christmas show.

"To discover it had not been performed since 1986 made it even more exciting. A whole generation has missed out on this lovely panto which has a Scottish flavour.

"We had to make a few tweaks as it was full of 1970s references. It features so many of Matt's famous songs and it's a great show for the whole family."

The Incredible Brechin Beetle Bug tells of Sandy Claws, ace toymaker, and the young Gregor McGregor who has just finished a degree in "sugarology" at Glasgow University.

The duo set out on a quest to save all the toys in the world from the evil Beetle Bug.

Mark McAvoy, South Lanarkshire Leisure's arts development officer for drama, said: "This was an amazing discovery as this panto was lost for many years.

"The Incredible Brechin Beetle Bug is full of Matt's humour and I'm sure it will be a brilliant production."

Matt was born in the Calton, Glasgow in 1928 and became one of the most colourful personalities on the Scottish scene.

Tickets for the panto at Rutherglen Town Hall cost £5 and can be booked through its box office on 0141 613 5700 or online at www.sllcboxoffice.co.uk

stef.lach@heraldandtimes.co.uk