THERE'S nothing like a dame - particularly when she's played by one of the best in the business, Roy Barraclough.

Roy, also known as Alec Gilroy the erstwhile landlord of the Rover's Return in Coronation Street, is currently strutting his stuff as Widow Twankey in a superb production of Aladdin at the Palace Theatre, Manchester.

Billy Pearce plays Aladdin and Bolton magician Richard De Vere is the Emperor of Peking.

Roy joined the cast only one week before opening night after the American star Mr T had to pull out because of illness. There was a casting re-shuffle and Roy agreed to play dame even though he had booked a holiday.

"It was a decision that had to be made quickly, because everyone was in such a panic, " Roy told me.

"I was set to sail to America on the QE2 . It was a long-held ambition of mine to see New York at Christmas . But this show had to go on and I went on with it."

Roy played in Aladdin with Billy Pearce in the 1994/5 season at the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, but there were some script changes and new entrances which he had to learn quickly.

Having seen Aladdin, I was not surprised when Roy conceded that the number of costume changes he has make the part very hard work.

"It's harder off stage than on," he said. "I'm on the fourth floor at the theatre and the lift is not always available."

Matinees and evening shows makes panto a tough option for performers. But despite suffering flu at Christmas and New Year, Roy never missed a show.

He has played every dame in the business. But it was his hilarious Cissie and Ada routines with the late comedian Les Dawson (Roy was Cissie) which made him into what he describes as a "commercial dame" - a pull at the box office.

His is very much the traditional dame. There's never any mistaking that Roy is a man dressed up as a woman - those hairy arms are a dead giveaway for a start!

Preston-born Roy was brought up to love panto."We had seasons when several different pantos were staged," he explained. "My parents took me to them all."

Since leaving the permanent cast of Coronation Street in 1992, Roy's theatre work has included his outstanding performance in Feed, the story of a music hall artist. It went on tour to rave reviews but not always to full houses.

Roy also played an endearing and very funny Dr Watson to Robert Powell's Sherlock Holmes in a musical.

He's done considerable television work and most recently appeared in the hugely successful Coronation Street video.

There's another "Street" appearance soon and Roy admits it will be odd walking back into the Rovers and not seeing Bet (Julie Goodyear) behind the bar.

One project close to his heart is a play about the life story of Robb Wilton written by Mike Craig which Roy hopes will be staged. It's easy to imagine Roy as the lugubrious Liverpudlian comedian and master of digression, resting his chin in his hand and uttering those famous words: "The day war broke out...".

After Aladdin closes on February 17, Roy is looking forward to a well-earned rest.

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