Review: Stand and Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In | World Premiere, Tron Theatre, Glasgow
- Lisa in the theatre
- May 1
- 7 min read
The National Theatre of Scotland and Tron Theatre Company bring the true story of the Greenock Lee Jeans factory occupation to the stage for the first time. Stand & Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In premieres at Glasgow Tron Theatre this week, then heads out on a tour across Scotland that culminates at the Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock, close to where the legendary factory once stood. Read my review of this exhilarating new play below.
Stand and Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In ★★★★☆
Review: 29 April 2026 | Tron Theatre, Glasgow - World Premiere
Twenty miles west of Glasgow, the coastal town of Greenock has long been known as an important trade port and a hub for heavy industry. In 1981, two hundred and forty - mostly female - workers at the American-owned Lee Jeans denim clothing factory were told that the Greenock factory would be closed and the jobs moved to Northern Ireland.
The workers refused to leave. They staged a sit-in, occupying the factory and preventing the owners from accessing the property and the valuable machinery that lay within. The occupation lasted much longer than the strikers expected, and the conflict became a significant part of Scottish labour history. Stand and Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In is the first play based on first-hand in-depth interviews with key players involved in the occupation.
Written by Frances Poet, based on an idea conceived by Poet and journalist/broadcaster Paul English, Stand and Deliver brings the David vs Goliath true story to theatres across Scotland. It's a powerful story of determination and solidarity against corporate greed, and it will have audiences up and down the country cheering for these ordinary Scottish workers and Scottish women who bravely took a stand against a large, powerful multinational organisation.
A true story backed by those who lived it
Stand and Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In is produced by the National Theatre of Scotland and Glasgow Tron Theatre Company. The show has been developed through conversations with key women involved in the strike, and is full of remarkable, authentic detail and keen insight.
The play focuses on shop steward Helen Monaghan (Jo Freer), who became the representative and spokesperson for the hundreds of factory workers during the occupation, and her young colleagues, nineteen-year-old Maggie Wallace (Chiara Sparkes) and her older sister Cathie (Hannah Jarrett-Scott.)
Jo Freer perfectly portrays Helen, a woman who, with little trade union experience, suddenly had to not only liaise with company management but also speak with the national press and sleekit politicians. She expertly illustrates the inner turmoil of someone struggling with the pressure and responsibility of standing up to "the man" for the sake of her colleagues, her family, and the future of their town. Helen Monaghan is a formidable badass!
Chiara Sparkes is a superstar, and here she shows off her incredible stage presence, frequently jumping on stage, grabbing the mic, and belting out 80s pop songs to express her passion for the good fight. In Sparkes' hands, Maggie is an eager, excitable, firecracker of a character. An engaging force to be reckoned with, it's a joy to witness her personal growth by the end of the story.
There's a hilarious authenticity to Maggie's bickering with her older sister Cathie, who Hannah Jarrett-Scott - complete with 1980s blue eyeshadow and Farrah Fawcett curls - nails perfectly. A multi-talented actor and musician, Jarrett-Scott's voice is exquisite as she delivers some of the most moving musical numbers in the show.
The three leading ladies duly represent hundreds of workers at the Lee Jeans factory who refused to lose their jobs without a fight. This show is stronger for having these extraordinary Scottish talents leading the way, and they are ably supported on stage by Aron Dochard, Madeline Grieve and performing Musical Director Shonagh Murray, who give fine voice to the many other characters in the story.
Working Class Heroes
Directed by Tron Theatre's acclaimed Artistic Director Jemima Levick, Stand and Deliver tells the Lee Jeans sit-in story to the backing of a live 80’s pop/rock soundtrack arranged by Claire McKenzie.
Jessica Worrall's set cleverly incorporates a stage at the back of the Lee Jeans factory canteen, in which the workers have locked themselves in and barricaded the doors. The cast seamlessly weave between the two platforms as they blend their storytelling with electrifying hits such as Kim Wilde's 'Kids in America', Duran Duran's 'Girls on Film' and the blazing title track, Adam and the Ant's 'Stand and Deliver'
Towards the end of the show, John Lennon's political anthem 'Working Class Hero' fills the auditorium. Yes, that song was released in the 1970s not the 80s, but never has a song been more appropriately used in a theatre production.
As rousing and absorbing as the central story is, Stand and Deliver did feel a little awkward at the start as the framing of the mixture of past and present took a few moments to bed in. The ending too, though full of beautiful, heartfelt touches, did drag on a little too long.
The show could be a tad shorter, but it's otherwise a very welcome, well-judged and poignant tribute to the fortitude of incredible women, whom I didn't know, but I will now never forget. Forty-five years later, the spirit of the Greenock Lee Jeans factory workers lives on through this inspiring Scottish theatre production. ★★★★☆
Catch Stand and Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In on tour across Scotland. Find the full list of venues and dates here
Stand & Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In cast
Full cast – Aron Dochard, Jo Freer, Madeline Grieve, Hannah Jarrett-Scott and Chiara Sparkes.
Performing Musical Director - Shonagh Murray.
Where to see Stand and Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In - 2026 Scottish Tour
Tron Theatre, Glasgow (Previews 24 & 25 April) 28 April to 9 May
Aberdeen Arts Centre 12 & 13 May
Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy 15 May
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh 19 & 20 May
The Byre Theatre, St Andrews 22 & 23 May
Eastgate Theatre, Peebles 26 & 27 May
Mull Theatre 30 May
OneTouch Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness 2 & 3 June
Cumbernauld Theatre 5 & 6 June
Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock 9 & 10 June.
MORE: from the creatives behind Stand & Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In
Frances Poet, writer, 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, story consultant, 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.”
Maggie Wallace, Lee Jeans worker, said
“This production means a lot to everyone who was part of the Sit In. We had no idea at the time that it would go down in history. It seems like yesterday and it’s still so fresh in my mind. Now with this production everyone has a chance to come along and step back in time to watch history in the making with a great story brought to life on stage with a mix of great humour, sharing what it meant to be part of a union in the workforce. I can't wait, I am so excited.”
Factory shop steward Helen Monaghan said:
“What we all did was very brave, and it's great to have the story told of what all the women did at the factory. Every one of them deserves recognition for it. I was only as strong as they were.”
Jemima Levick, director, said:
“It’s an honour to tell the story of these women, who quietly changed history from a factory in Greenock by staying true to what they believed in. They saved a community and proved that resistance and protest can win out. It’s about time their story and their success is celebrated with songs from the era and audiences of now. We would love to be able to name all the women and men involved in the strike in the show so really hope that family members and workers from the factory at the time will get in contact with us so we can pay tribute.”
Lesley Davidson, Co-Director Beacon Arts Centre said:
"We are delighted to host Stand & Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-in at the Beacon. This powerful production marks an important anniversary for Inverclyde and offers a fitting tribute to the Lee Jeans workers - the majority of whom were women - whose courage showed the extraordinary strength that comes from standing together. We’re especially proud to welcome some of these women to Greenock to see their story brought to life on stage."
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