Stand & Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In
★★★★☆ Delivers
Traverse Theatre: Tues 19 – Wed 20 May 2026
Review by Hugh Simpson
The National Theatre of Scotland and the Tron Theatre’s touring production Stand & Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-in at the Traverse is both entertaining and affecting. The politically charged gig-musical is a thoroughly enjoyable, utterly necessary reminder of recent history.
Frances Poet’s play is based on the true story of the events of 1981, when a workforce of 240, almost all female, barricaded themselves into the Lee Jeans factory in Greenock to stop the American owners closing the plant down.
Madeline Grieve, Chiara Sparkes, Hannah Jarrett – Scott, Aron Dochard and Jo Freer. Pic: Mihaela Bodlovic.
The story is focused on shop steward Helen (Jo Freer), reluctantly thrust into the role of organiser, and teenager Maggie (Chiara Sparkes), who didn’t even want to follow her older sister Cathie into the factory and takes time in recognising the seriousness of the situation.
Hannah Jarrett-Scott is Cathie, while Aron Dochard is Helen’s son Finlay; both also play a variety of different roles, with Madeline Grieve playing other characters as required. The ensemble is completed by Shonagh Murray, who also acts as musical director in the selection of songs of the period (including Duran Duran, Kim Wilde and of course Adam and the Ants) which punctuate the action and are sung and played by the cast.
shot through with humour and pathos
This is one of those politically-charged musical productions in the grand Scottish tradition, entertaining and informing while shot through with humour and pathos. It certainly does justice to the events of the story, shining a welcome light on an overlooked narrative of Scottish working-class female solidarity. There is also a creditable desire to reflect the lives of the real people involved in these events, with due attention paid to characterisation and motivation.
Which is particularly true of Freer’s excellent Helen, whose doubts, fears and inner strength are quite brilliantly portrayed. Sparkes is equally good as Maggie, charting a journey from self-conscious naivete to self-confident activism.
Madeline Grieve, Aron Dochard, Jo Freer , Hannah Jarrett – Scott and Chiara Sparkes. Pic: Mihaela Bodlovic
The production is, however, a resolutely ensemble piece, with the ever-versatile Jarrett-Scott, the impressive Dochard, the adaptable Grieve and the quietly authoritative Murray all contributing massively. (It should be noted that the two BSL interpreters at this particular performance, Catherine King and Yvonne Strain, were integrated into the action as positively and effectively as I have ever seen).
Jemima Levick’s direction is wonderfully compelling, giving the show a vitality, rhythm and momentum. This is helped greatly by Chris Stuart Wilson’s unfussy, extremely expressive choreography. Jessica Worrall’s beautifully adaptable set and the expressive lighting of Emma Jones are major factors in giving the production enormous visual impact.
framing device
There is the odd problem with structure. The framing device of looking back at 1981 from 2026 leads to some clunky transitions, while the play seems to end with a tribute to the names of those involved in the strike (courtesy of an authentically 1980s overhead projector), before then carrying on for some minutes, and with much less authority than previously.
Like some recent full-scale productions, it comes over as determined to give the audience their money’s worth in terms of length at the expense of some coherence.
Shonagh Murray, Hannah Jarrett – Scott , Chiara Sparkes , Aron Dochard and Madeline Grieve. Pic: Mihaela Bodlovic
The musical interludes, courtesy of arranger and supervisor Claire McKenzie, are always entertaining and performed with gusto. Since community singing was part of the sit-in (including, apparently Shaddap You Face with adapted lyrics) they are highly relevant. However, while appropriate in period, the songs are sometimes tenuously linked to the narrative in subject matter and feel. There is no doubt that Ghost Town nails the political atmosphere, but some of the others seem chosen more because they are going to be fun.
a fitting tribute
There are a couple of interesting left-field choices – some Phil Ochs decidedly not from 1981, an obscure song by the Duncan Faure-fronted Rollers after they dropped the Bay City part of the name. Otherwise, there is the slightest whiff of karaoke about some of it, despite the impressive playing and singing, and there is little of the visceral thrill the best ‘gig theatre’ provides.
There can be no doubt about the overall standard of entertainment on offer, however, just as there can be no doubt that the production overall is a fitting tribute to those it depicts.
Running time: Two hours and 25 minutes (including one interval).
Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge St, EH1 2ED
Tuesday 19 – Wednesday 20 May 2026
Daily at 7.30 pm; Matinee Wed 2.30 pm
Tickets and details: Book here.
Tickets and details:
Tour dates: http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com
Hannah Jarrett – Scott, Aron Dochard , Chiara Sparkes, and Madeline Grieve. Pic: Mihaela Bodlovic
ENDS
