Aberdeen is hosting a show celebrating the legendary comic Billy Connolly.
‘Dear Billy’ is a collection of stories on the Big Yin, gathered from people all over Scotland.
The acclaimed one-man show returns to the stage at His Majesty’s Theatre in the city after a hugely successful tour last year.
Writer and actor Gary McNair told STV News: “You can’t be in Scotland and not have a feeling of who he is and what he does. He means so much to so many people.
“He’s in the fabric of who we are and makes so many people so happy.”
The Glasgow performer has been gathering hundreds of stories, memories and anecdotes about Connolly from people all over Scotland for seven years.
‘Dear Billy’ is a compilation of their moving and funny responses.
Gary added: “If there was a thing I could capture that I’ve got in my head, it’s that shift of people’s body language from ‘I’m in a hurry ‘to ‘oh aye’. That change in their face as it just lights up.
SNS Group“It just brings an instant illumination in people and the show does its best to capture that essence in people.
“We couldn’t have been happier with the response from audiences up and down the country. I also loved that people would share their personal stories about the Big Yin with us as we travelled.
“People reveal a little about themselves with every little story ,and it’s getting to know almost the whole country through him.
“We find out a lot about ourselves as well. Both performing the show and receiving these stories felt like the perfect way to celebrate the special place that Billy Connolly holds in the hearts of Scottish people.”
The Big Yin has many connections with the north east.
He first wore his famous Big Banana Boots at the city’s music hall in 1975 and later owned an Aberdeenshire estate.
Gary said: “He talks about it all the time. On the BBC’s Desert Island Discs he picked Bob Dylan’s song, Highlands.
“For him it’s about his deep, deep love of Aberdeenshire and being there and the song probably takes him back.”
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