The Steamie

Rerr Terr productions 

By Tony Roper with songs by Dave Anderson 

5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

The Steamie is one of Scotland’s most beloved plays, and probably the best known due to the television movie broadcast on Hogmanay. 

Set in a Glasgow Steamie around1955  four women of various ages come together to do the household laundry and gossip, and gossip they do. 

There is Mrs Culfeathers an older woman in her 70’s who takes in washing from the richer families, to earn some money. She loves the company of the steamie with her husband not doing so well and the family living down south it helps her be less lonely. 

She remembers the old days of the open air steamie of Glasgow green, romanticising the memory with the Shirts and dresses dancing together on the ropes in the summer breeze. 

Doreen the youngest of the girls, not long married she wishes for a TV, sprays (showers) in the house and a white picket fenced house, with a washing machine. This will give her leisure time, to do what she wants. Having recently put her name down for a house in Drumchapel she thinks her worries will be over. 

Magrit is harder she has a larger family all wanting a piece of her, her husband takes a drink and is the bane of her life, although prone to a very barbed comment she still enters in to the fun and always apologises if she has over-stepped the mark. 

Dolly is full of fun, never stops talking, full of the gossip with a heart of gold, always willing to lend a hand to Mrs Culfeathers with heavy laundry and trips to the ringers. 

The Steamie is almost 40 years old but still fills theatres with its blend of humour, pure gallus Glassow patter, pathos and most importantly nostalgia. 

As soon as Louise McCarthy comes on stage and blurts out “Magrit, zat your stall” you know you are in good hands. She becomes Dolly. 

This is a dream cast, Ali Clelland as Magrit, Eden Barrie as Doreen, Olivier award winning Lesley Mackie as Mrs Culfeathers and Paul J Corrigan as Andy the young handyman who enjoys the attention of the women and a fair few too many Hogmanay drinks! 

For a play it actually has no real plot. It’s a group of women together in a place where they can tell stories, lament about their husbands, talk about other folk and their families away from the men in their lives.

It gets them away from the constant nagging of the family life and they can come together to laugh. 

What really gives the play "the big picture" is Dave Andersons excellent songs that come between some of the sketches. 

Doreen’s lovely Disney like song “Dreams Come True” makes the thought of moving away from the smoke and grey of the city to Drumchapel seem like an oasis.

“Pals” follows on from Mrs Culfeathers opening up about not seeing her grand weans, and drinking her first whisky.

This song closes the first half and it really stands for what the steamie is, a place to speak to yer pals and sort the world out. 

The opening of act two gives Dolly her own song “Cry” and it’s the only time you really see Dolly sad, normally the life and soul of the rerr terr she gets to sing “Maybe it’s jist, women get the blues”.

Her maudlin doesn’t last long though as it’s in to the hilarious scene where Dolly gets a wash down in the laundry sink.

That’s the beauty of this play one minute you can be greetin’ the next in guffaws of laughter. 

Magrit gets possibly the most famous of the songs “Isn’t it Wonderful to Be a Woman” the lament of a women’s work never being done.

Luckily this was sung this time, often it’s done as a poem and that never quite works as well as the song. 

This production, after the applause has the cast sing a verse and chorus of Pals, personally I prefer the original end song of “All The Best ( When it Comes)” however the full show is so good it doesn’t detract from the night out. 

You can’t miss this play on its tour, Tony Roper has said it will be the last time he directs, to see it done as he likes with the best possible cast is a must.

Especially with Kenny Millar’s set and costume design. You feel as if you are back in 1955 listening to yer granny!

No Mince was mentioned in this review – yes it is done, so, so well!