When Ailsa completed Drama School in Guilford, the last thing she envisaged was that a series of mini-dramas in the personal sense, would bring her to the island of Zakynthos, marry Greek chef Vangelis and become a mum!

In 2002 at the end of an exhausting tour of over one hundred schools with a Theatre-In-Education production of Macbeth, Ailsa took a well-earned solo holiday to Tunisia. Quite unexpectedly the hotels somewhat ad-lib ‘all-inclusive-entertainment’ supplied the inspiration to live and work abroad.

Ailsa Burns-Maganiaris or simply ‘Ailsa’ as she prefers to be known recalls the Tunisian troupe “...they were just a bunch of local boys singing and dancing. Truthfully they were dire; they’d no training though they made up for it with bags of enthusiasm! I thought to myself ‘I could do that’”.

Back at home Ailsa scanned The Stage for an overseas job, specifically somewhere sunny. Through an entertainment agency she was accepted for a role as Hotel Entertainer at The Venus Hotel, Kalamaki and flew out to Zakynthos in the August. At the end of that summer the thought of returning to her old life in Manchester was a depressing prospect. Instead, she took a winter situation as the third dancer, for a trio girl outfit at a live music venue in northern Greece. Winter work is hard to come by in Greece and, on the face of it this was a great opportunity until Ailsa met her two co dancers; school leavers they were svelte, leggy and blond. Ailsa, older, curvaceous and sporting her distinctive short auburn crop plainly didn’t fit in. The agency found her a new contract that was to prove an episode of Ailsa’s life she would rather not replay! The set-up was amateurish and farcical; the location remote and a lonely Ailsa found herself ‘counting down the days’ to the date printed on her flight ticket back to Manchester but, unbeknown to Ailsa the agency had extended the contract and, in a calculated move, had cancelled her ticket! Coerced to stay on Ailsa found it “one of the worst experiences” of her life.

Undeterred, she secured a second summer on Zakynthos as Team Manager and choreographer for a British variety ensemble contracted to a hotel group however, on arrival a succession of turbulent dramatics unfolded into a Greek tragedy and Ailsa quit the intolerable working conditions. Jobless and homeless in high season; a friend found her work hosting karaoke evenings in Laganas. Ailsa fell back on her performing arts training and despite lacking confidence in her singing ability she completed the season, by the end of which she had also discovered a number of songs that suited her vocals. Having saved enough money to stay through the winter, the smallish matter of Hector meant she would need to find alternative accommodation fit for a biggish puppy! Fortunately extra income via house sitting and part-time bar work improved her rental choices.

Over winter Ailsa toyed with the idea of singing. Encouraged by a veteran island singer, Ailsa started a tuneful summer singing in a few hotels and bars and, over time this built-up. At the Zante Park Hotel in 2003 Ailsa was to meet Vangelis. They married in 2005 at the pretty Venetian church of St Nicholas of Molou in Solomos Square. In typical Ailsa-style it was a simple and unpretentious event. Pastry Chef Vangelis made the cake and Ailsa made the floral displays. The year was topped off with the arrival of baby Ellie, an auspicious birth date; she arrived five minutes to midnight on 17th December – St Dennis’ Remembrance Day.

For the past three winters Ailsa has hosted her own show on the local radio and performs jazz evenings at the weekend, she is also involved with Zante Animal Welfare. Bright and unscripted the show goes on for Ailsa.