Review: STAND AND DELIVER: THE LEE JEANS SIT-IN, Tron Theatre

Stand and Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In is a new play that tells the story of the women who occupied the Greenock factory in 1981 in order to save their jobs. Six years in the making, Stand and Deliver is written by Frances Poet and directed by Jemima Levick.

Many factory workers secured jobs for their wee sisters and children, so there was a real family feel to the place. Maggie (Chiara Sparkes) started working there at 16 thanks to her sister Cathie (Hannah Jarrett-Scott) getting her in the door. When the American owners of the factory try to move production to Northern Ireland to save money, 240 jobs are at risk in Greenock. The workers take action to barricade themselves inside with the machinery to prevent the permanent closure but it took longer than expected with the sit in lasting for seven months.

Helen (Jo Freer) is a figurative mammy to the workers but also a literal one to Finlay (Aron Dochard) who works at the factory while studying at college. The cast is completed with Madeline Grieve playing a variety of roles to great comedic effect and Shonagh Murray as the onstage performing musical director.

Stand and Deliver has quite literally everything you could want from a theatre production. The writing is both sharp and moving, the story is fascinating, and the cast are sensational. The characters are so well developed and brought to life in a way that creates a strong emotional connection. A really nice touch is looking at where these women are today and then displaying the names of those who were involved. 

The story is punctuated with 80s hits such as “Girls On Film”; “Fashion” and “Stand and Deliver” which both sets the scene and is a real treat due to the sheer musical talent of this cast. 

Stand and Deliver is a remarkable story about the determination and grit of these wonderful women, and it is backed by a tremendous creative team and standout performances that highlight the strength of Scottish theatre.

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