The Oompa Loompa actress at the centre of the “shambolic” Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience is heading to Aberdeen for a meet and greet event.
Kirsty Paterson, 29, was snapped dressed up as a miserable-looking Oompa Loompa in a “science lab” conducting experiments at the disastrous event last month.
The photo of the sad spectacle has become a viral sensation, clocking up millions of views across social media and spawning countless humorous memes.
The event – which was devoid of Wonka’s signature Pure Imagination – has become a global sensation for the wrong reasons, with angry customers hitting out at the lacklustre offering.
Kirsty was one of several actresses and performers hired for the event, which was organised by House of Illuminati at Hubbox on February 24.
Farcical event
The farcical event had been billed as “the place where chocolate dreams become reality”, but instead families, paying up to £35 each for a golden ticket, turned up to find a sparse warehouse decorated with a rainbow and bouncy castle.
Kirsty has since gone on to give global interviews about what she describes as a “complete and utter shambles”.
Nightclub owner Tony Cochrane jumped at the chance to book her for his Willy Wonka Clubbing Experience at Club Tropicana and Aura on March 30.
Meet and greet
The “meet and greet” will see Kirsty dishing out free jelly beans, lime juice and Easter eggs while having her photo taken with fans.
“It’ll be a great deal of fun and something to put on your Charlie Bucket list,” said Tony.
“Kirsty will be dressed as an Oompa Loompa and she’ll have her own wee corner. She’ll sit at a table and dish out thimblefuls of lime juice and jelly babies.
“Fans will be able recreate the infamous moment from the Glasgow Wonka experience, with Kirsty, aka the grumpy Oompa Loompa, looking as miserable as possible.”
Viral Oompa Loompa story
“The Oompa Loompa story went viral and Kirsty has been on TV shows all over the world, from Australia to the USA, and Good Morning Britain.
“She’s been blown away by it all – her phone has been ringing off the hook.
“The whole thing has gone totally crazy – there’s a huge buzz around it all.”
While many photos emerged from the Wonka fiasco, it was the shot of Kirsty in the Oompa Loompa costume looking slightly dead in the eyes as she conducted supposed science experiments that has grabbed most attention.
Creating personalised photos and videos
Since that ill-fated day, she’s started taking bookings for shows dressed in the official Oompa Loompa costume and creating personalised video and audio messages for fans via the official Cameo Instagram page, and on her TikTok.
When she’s not dressed as an Oompa Loompa, Kirsty works in children’s entertainment and is a fire dancer and yoga teacher.
She was roped into the Wonka event after she saw it offered £500 for two days of work.
She only saw the script the night before and was shocked when she was encouraged to improvise.
Kirsty described the costumes are “strange” and “cheaply made” – and there was no Oompa Loompa orange make-up.
She stayed, she says, because she didn’t want to let people down. But she was “very embarrassed”.
When the famous photo was taken, Kirsty was in a “jellybean room”, but they ran out of jelly beans.
Keep an eye on tropicanaaberdeen.co.uk for further details and tickets.
Conversation