A Dundee showbusiness institution celebrates a lifetime of entertaining this week with no thoughts of leaving the stage.
Margaret Mather saw singing and performing as the platform to break free from her poverty-stricken childhood in the old Overgate before the Second World War.
The 77-year-old is reflecting on her remarkable career at An Evening with Margaret Mather taking place at the Little Theatre on Thursday and Friday.
In the night of music, laughter and stories, Margaret will retrace her journey which took her to all corners of the world when she toured with Ronnie Coburn’s Breath of Scotland show.
She is best known to Dundonians as the founder, producer and director of Dundee Junior Showtime, now in its 44th year.
In that venture she has given thousands of youngsters the chance to perform, and she is proud to say: “I never turned anyone away.
“Whatever their talent or ability, I gave them a chance to sing, dance or act because that is so precious.
“I was born in an orphanage, grew up in poverty and saw performing as a chance to give me a better life. I vowed that I would give others the same chance.”
The five-year-old Margaret Chambers was taken under the wing of the Salvation Army whose guidance she valued and singing she found inspirational.
It was the latter that fired her interest in performing and the Leng Silver Medal winner entered the world of entertainment.
She toured with Jimmy Shand Jr’s band, appeared as a folk singer at US forces bases and broadcast on BBC Radio’s Children’s Hour.
Her list of credits also includes Downfield Musical Society and events for forces charities for which she has a special affinity.
Her Reh-Tam Players drama group has performed at the Edinburgh Festival and she also formed the Dundee Freevoice Singers.
Away from the stage, she has helped others through music therapy.
The great-grandmother, former Citizen of the Year and Dundee Burgess stressed that this week’s show and her appearance at the armed forces charity concert in the Caird Hall on June 14 will not be her swansongs.
“There are so many opportunities now for young people to perform that there’s not the same need for Dundee Junior Showtime,” she said.
“It will keep going but not at the same level as before. With that and writing plays and the Freevoice Singers, I will be taking life at a different pace.”