Adam Smith: A theatre of dreams

Happy birthday Adam Smith Theatre - 120 years young, and still the beating heart of  Kirkcaldy's cultural life.

I couldn't even begin to count the number of shows I've seen there over the last 30-plus years.

In the days when it hosted week-long stays for TV stars - Tarbie, Mike & Bernie Winters, The Nolans, Peter Morrison, and so on - and the biggest names from what we used to call 'light entertainment' every Monday night was theatre night for FFP staff.

It was always a full house - two seats for the price of one ensured a full house of canny Fifers! - and our job was to deliver a positive review, from which a quote would duly appear on the posters for the end of the run.

The same stars would also be the subject of a photo-shoot dreamt up by Bert Ross, the theatre's PR man, who'd pop in every week with a press pack, a joke or two,  and another idea to secure a front page pic.

When Anna Wing, who played Lou Beale in Eastenders, appeared in a play, he took her to a greengrocers down the High Street, while Pat Phoenix (Elsie Tanner in Coronation Street) pulled a pint behind the bar at the Penny Farthing,  while Johnny Briggs, who played knicker factory boss Mike Baldwin found himself at Nelbarden, the Kirkcaldy factory which made swimwear.

And if all else failed, the stars turned up at our printing plant, which perhaps explain how Jesus - or rather, actor Robert Powell - once started the presses rolling.

Bert also organised interviews with the stars.

I found myself chatting to Alec Monteath, who played farmer Dougal in Take The High Road one glorious summer's day. We sat on the benches outside the theatre, when two old ladies spotted him and asked for an autograph. Mistaking me for a High Road actor, they also asked me to sign their brochures. I couldn't refuse...

A phone interview with the late Gerard Kelly to talk about his role in Hector MacMillan's play The Sash sparked a lively batch of letters to the editor as he took a pot shot at the bigots, while a photo-shoot with Jimmy Cricket down at Stark's Park was simply a hoot. Not sure the groundsman appreciated the Irish comedian running around the pitch in his wellies!

Memories?

Sitting in the Beveridge Suite watching the Doug Anthony All-Stars destroying the room with their no holds barred humour, and then spinning it on a sixpence with the beautiful ballad, Throw Your Arms Around Me.

The late, much missed Sean Hughes wandering on stage with a copy of the FFP - every stand-up mines it for a quick local joke at the start of their set - laying the then broadsheet on the stage and being completely tickled by a story on street pastors handing out flip-flops to folk leaving nightclub. 

Councillors banning a screening of the Last Temptation Of Christ before they had a private screening to determine whether it was blasphemous. Still can't believe they let me join them for the most surreal movie experience I've ever had.

A glorious gig by The Silencers, and one by The Proclaimers early in their career, and, more recently, the absolute thrill of listening to Justin Currie performing solo at Tae Sup - that wonderful, dazzling kaleidoscope of creativity curated by James Yorkston, a musician I could listen to for hours without interruption.

Bing Hitler - Craig Ferguson's 1980s character - who knocked off his set in 45 minutes. Safe to say the crowd expected more.

Chris Ramsey, currently starring in BBC's Strictly, filling the room with warmth and humour. One if the most enjoyable nights of comedy I've seen.

Craig Hill nailing the Fife accent to brilliantly, it hurt to laugh

Great theatre shows - most recently the dazzling Our Ladies Of Perpetual Succour, and Cora Bissett's magnificent What Girls Are Made Of - the fabulous Canned Laughter, and a spellbinding Adam Smith Lecture by Sandi Toksvig which challenged, captivated and was downright laugh out loud funny.

The red carpet chaos which greeted the arrival of David Tennant, and chatting with Eddie Izzard about his first visit to the theatre as an up and coming young comedian.

And Jerry Sadowitz. ...  my friend decided she'd seen and heard enough after 15 minutes and headed to the bar. Sitting three rows back, centre stage, Jerry saw me get up.  

"Come back! Come back! I haven't told you my Milly Dowler jokes yet" he yelled as I edged to the end of the row, up the stairs and through the doors.

The theatre also made a dream come true for myself, Willie MacGregor, Alistair Cameron and the late Ally Gourlay.

We had an idea to stage a Hall of Fame night for Raith Rovers, no cash, and no real idea what it took to stage a show.

Everyone at the Adam Smith - from Mark Wheelwright to the box office staff to the tech team led by Andy Hotchkiss - got on board and made it happen.

The buzz of that first show - a full house, football legends everywhere, our ELO theme pumping through the PA system, and a stage lighting that took our breath away - is something we will never forget, and will forever be grateful to  our theatre for making our dream such a remarkable success.

Here's to the next 120 years ...