Lee Jeans factory sit-in recalled in acclaimed new show at Adam Smith Theatre

Stand & Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-in tells the true story of a campaign which became part of Scotland’s industrial story, and catapulted the women into the global spotlight.

The new production from the National Theatre of Scotland comes to the Kirkcaldy theatre as part of its Scottish tour on Friday, May 15.

It is the first theatrical telling of the 1981 dispute, and is based on first hand interviews with some of key players involved.

The Lee Jeans had American owners who wanted to shift production to Northern Ireland to take advantage of lucrative subsidies. Greenock was their first UK factory - and Lee Jeans was its most successful brand.

A workforce of 240, predominantly female, rejected the company’s claims it was uneconomic - they blamed corporate greed for the closure decision - and took direct action in a bid to save their jobs, and so began an occupation of the factory which saw them become highly organised, and drew support from Scotland’s miners and dockers.

The sit-in came at a time when female unemployment in Greenock was 50% higher than elsewhere in Scotland, and the Thatcher years were just about to begin. The Specials’ Ghost Town topped the charts and caught the bleakness of the times.

The workforce seized control of the factory, and prevented any machinery being moved out. After seven long months they emerged triumphant and returned to their sewing machines to work for new owners.

While the factory did close a few years later, it was a triumph that became part of Scotland’s industrial story - and a tribute to the resilience and organisation of the workers who stood up to a corporate giant.

Acclaimed writer Frances Poet tells their remarkable story in Stand And Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit In, which includes some of classic 1980s songs the women belted out to keep their spirits high.

Frances 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.

“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.”

The cast includes Jo Freer, from Scots Squad and River City, who plays shop steward Helen Monaghan - and for the real life worker, it was a thrill to see their story brought back into the spotlight. She 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.”

The women have already seen the play which is currently touring Scottish theatres.

Maggie Wallace, Lee Jeans worker, said: “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.”

> Stand And Deliver: The Lee Jeans Story is at the Adam Smith Theatre on May 15. Ticket info from onfife.com