Review: THE STEAMIE, King's Theatre

First staged in 1987, The Steamie is a Scottish comedy play by Tony Roper set in a 1950s Glasgow washhouse. This production is directed by Tony Roper and Ryan Dewer with songs by David Anderson. It’s New Year’s Eve and Magrit (Ali Clelland), Doreen (Eden Barrie), Dolly (Louise McCarthy) and Mrs Culfeathers (Lesley Mackie) have come down to the steamie to get their washing all sorted before the bells.

It’s a social occasion as the women take to their individual stalls and gossip about their neighbours and husbands. Ali Clelland is wonderfully deadpan as Magrit, who complains about her alcoholic husband with great comedic effect. Eden Barrie plays devoted wife Doreen who dreams of getting a house in Drumchapel and Louise McCarthy’s Dolly is warm, caring and full of nonsense.

It’s an iconic play for a reason, and when Lesley Mackie starts her Galloway mince bit, there’s a distinct ripple through the audience as many know what’s coming. This cast work so well together, and their comedy timing is just perfect. It's a fiercely female play but Paul J Corrigan excels as the long suffering handyman Andy and brings a really great dynamic to the piece.

The beauty of The Steamie is the mundanity of the conversations and how relatable the way the women connect is. They’re suspicious of the new laundrettes popping up that might make washing easier but eliminate the social element.

While The Steamie is forty years old and the setting is even longer ago, themes of female friendship and loneliness are still relevant today and ensure that this play will remain entertaining for future generations.

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