Ashley Vallance had some big shoes to fill. Not only did he have to step into the role of Buttons in Motherwell Theatre's production of the classic panto Cinderella after all the publicity had announced another actor in that role, but Vallance had a less than comfortable timespan to get into character. Luckily for Vallance (and for audiences), this Buttons was an experienced one, as he had triumphed in that role just last year at a production in Ilford. This time the reviews are even more enthusiastic, with Vallance frequently touted as the star of the show. The sudden loss of Paul James Corrigan was Motherwell Theatre's gain. But it nearly wasn't.

"I'd already turned down some things, thinking that I'd have a nice Christmas at home with my family," Vallance admits, in between his second and third performance of the day, "and then I got the phone call saying they needed someone as soon as possible. And I thought: 'You know what, I love Scotland, I'll go for it.'"

It was a wise choice. Vallance's reviews have been smilingly ecstatic, and his last-minute addition to the cast has proved an unexpected coup for Motherwell Theatre's new production.

Vallance adds: "It's nice working with a bunch of hugely talented and very nice people, and I'm the only English cast member, so they've made me feel very welcome here. It's a great cast and a great theatre, and it's lovely to be here."

Vallance's Buttons Redux came as a result of recommendations from canny theatregoers, and it seems the actor's life has so far been filled with that kind of happy accolade. Vallance graduated from the Guildhall School of Acting chock full of top honours and won the Principal's Award for singing and musical theatre. After touring with several musical theatre companies in productions such as Beauty and the Beast and Grab Me a Gondola, Vallance found himself in the flamboyant, grotesque and unwieldy arms of the pantomime world. Asked about the differences between traditional musical theatre and panto, Vallance is quick to defend the ugly stepsister.

"I think panto gets a bad name within acting circles. People think it's easy, but it isn't. Panto is a difficult style of acting because you have all the audience participation but you still have to remain true to the character."

He emphasises that in panto it's vital to have the audience rooting for your character, so his Buttons must be a very sympathetic role to win the hearts of Scottish theatregoers.

Ashley says: "The audiences here are quite different, and they're very reactive, so it's especially important when you're breaking the fourth wall to keep in character, to keep singing, dancing and incorporating the comedy as well."

His training in entertaining the cheering masses has paved the way for Vallance to broaden his own horizons.

"I'd like to try children's television. I haven't had a chance to do it, and I'm hoping to focus my attention on that in 2008." Vallance is shopping for a new agent to take him from the larger-than-life world of musical theatre on to the small screen. His previous record of touring productions in places as far away as Denmark and the US has earned him a reputation as much more than a jobbing actor, and so he is hopeful that this fame will help his new career move. He says: "Getting work on the back of other work is really nice. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it's really great."

Getting work is nine-tenths of the job, he says. "You can have an agent who does a lot of work for you, but you have to be proactive if you want the best work; you have to really know what's going on in theatres all over the country, and who's casting."

He acknowledges that it's a very self-serving industry. "At the end of the day, I'm self-employed and the product I'm selling is myself. You're always on the lookout for meeting new people, and you never know if that person you met last week at a party is going to be someone you could be working for this week."

His approach seems to work, too, as Vallance wouldn't be in Motherwell if it weren't for a chance meeting last year. "I love pantomime. It comes at such a great time a year, it's so festive and expressive, and the kids love it. But too often there's stunt casting, where you get someone off the telly, and they're not the best person for the job, they've got no formal training. I'd come from a background of experience and training."

He acknowledges his particular gifts wouldn't necessarily be suited to Strindberg or Ibsen. "I'd have to be really comfortable to take on one of those roles. I'm a musical theatre person, I'm good at physical comedy, dancing and the rest, but I don't know that I'd be confident taking that on.

"Musical theatre is not always truthful in itself, and you as the actor have to make it truthful, so that the audience isn't going: 'Now why did he start singing that song?' It's up to you to make the motivations real for those who are watching."

And who is watching? Maybe the person to give Ashley Vallance his next big break, if his notices are anything to go by.