A powerful new theatre production telling the story of the 1981 Lee Jeans factory sit in will open in Glasgow before touring venues across the country including Inverness.
Stand and Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit In is a co production from National Theatre of Scotland and Tron Theatre Company, bringing one of Scotland’s most significant industrial actions to the stage for the first time.
Written by Frances Poet and directed by Jemima Levick, the production is based on first hand interviews with women involved in the occupation.
The play centres on the workers at the Lee Jeans factory in Greenock, who staged a seven month sit in to fight the closure of their workplace and protect more than 200 jobs.
Set against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, the story captures a moment when ordinary workers took extraordinary action and found strength in solidarity.
Performed with a live 1980s soundtrack, the production blends music, storytelling and real life testimony to bring the voices of those involved to a new audience.
The cast includes Aron Dochard, Jo Freer, Madeline Grieve, Hannah Jarrett Scott and Chiara Sparkes, with Shonagh Murray as Performing Musical Director.
Frances Poet said:
“My first conversations with NTS about this project started back in 2020.
“This real life win for an underestimated workforce felt hugely timely then but, somewhat surprisingly, in each year of development the play has felt increasingly resonant.
“1981 was a time of banging pop hits but also economic crisis and the steady erosion of legal rights.
“The predominantly female employees at the Lee Jeans factory in Greenock faced the injustice of having a multinational corporation write off their livelihoods in the ruthless pursuit of profit.
“In deciding to make a stand, these women discovered a sense of agency they hadn’t known before and found their voice.
“It is my privilege as a writer to amplify that voice for audiences today in this exciting NTS and Tron Theatre Scottish tour.
“I hope audiences will feel as inspired as I have by the women I have got to know through this process and whose stories we tell in the play.
“They show us that no matter how helpless and insignificant we might feel against a powerful enemy, it is still possible for us to be agents for change.”
Paul English said:
“Growing up in Inverclyde in the 1980’s, the threat of unemployment and the fight to keep industries and communities alive in towns on the Clyde was everywhere.
“These women won that fight.
“Over the years, I’ve covered the story of their enduring legacy, and each time I’ve been struck by their solidarity, pride, humour and dignity, as well as the scope of what they achieved.
“It’s great to be part of this team bringing their inspiring story to the stage.”
The production has been shaped by direct conversations with those involved in the strike, ensuring the story carries authenticity as well as emotional weight.
There is also an open call for former workers and their families to come forward, with plans to honour those involved as part of the tour.
The show will travel to venues across Scotland, including a stop at Eden Court in Inverness, before concluding in Greenock close to where the events unfolded.
More than four decades on, the story still resonates, not just as history, but as a reminder of what can happen when people stand together.
