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**** (4 stars)

“A tale of sheer bloody-mindedness”

In 1981 I was living in England, bringing up two small children, and like everyone else struggling to come to terms with Maggie Thatcher’s approach to labour relations.  I have to confess to being largely unaware of the momentous goings-on in the Lee jeans factory in Greenock, and am profoundly grateful to all those concerned in bringing this story to the stage.  in deeply troubled times, it’s good to be reminded that ‘little people’ can make a difference and that it’s possible for a few people to stick together and resist the power and arrogance of massive multinational corporations.

In 1981, the factory in Greenock was profitable, its American owners having taken full advantage of the financial inducements on offer from the British government for the past ten years.  Was it pure coincidence that at this point some of the factory’s operations were moved to Northern Ireland, where new tax incentives were on offer?  How come the workers were being told that they would be made redundant and the factory closed after the statutory 90 days’ notice?  This at a time when jobs were increasingly scarce, money incredibly tight, and union power was being steadily eroded…

What unfolds is a tale of sheer bloody-mindedness and refusal to be intimidated or to give in to pressure.  The mostly female workforce agreed to a sit-in and, despite the cowardly refusal of their trade union to get involved, they made their story public and received huge support from many other people, even though they too were suffering in the aggressively anti-union atmosphere of Maggie’s Britain.

It might seem that this is a grim tale with all too little light – but what NTS has produced is an inspiring and engrossing illustration of what feisty women [and a few men] can achieve if they put their minds to it.  Five women and one man play many parts – and many instruments, too – in this production which crackles with wit and gallows humour.  A raucously lively succession of 1980s songs, many with new words created by the strikers, and a seemingly endless procession of characters interacting with the main protagonists, drive this narrative forward until the final moments invite us to consider what we could profitably learn from this David and Goliath true story.

 The cast’s talents leave me speechless.  Quite apart from the rapid costume- and accent-changes performed by most of them, their musical abilities are highly impressive as they swap instruments and vocal styles and lines in this almost continuous high-octane performance.  My hat’s off to Aron Dochard – his gangly teen Finlay is in strong contrast to his Belfast manager Charters and much older Jimmy who’s probably carrying a torch for young Maggie, while his chinless and spineless union head honcho is priceless: and he can sing and play a mean guitar, too!  Madeline Grieve beats the hell out of her drum kit while also inhabiting many roles, and musical director Shonagh Murray provides strong keyboard and vocal backing, occasionally coming centre stage with her piano accordion.

Hannah Jarrett-Scott is the strong, capable support person who does all the unglamorous but essential jobs within the sit-in, not least the thankless task of wrangling people into rotas to ensure all the tasks are covered all the time while ensuring that they have enough time to deal with the rest of their lives – small wonder Cathie’s at times very snippy about her younger sister’s lively, happy-go-lucky approach to the whole business.

Chiara Sparkes lights up the stage with her performance as Maggie Wallace – she gets everyone going with her energy and enthusiasm, and we watch with pride and satisfaction her gradual maturation from irresponsible teen to self-assured spokesperson for the striking women.  And boy, can she belt a good song!  The whole narrative is driven by the music, and for anyone who wasn’t engrossed in nappies, will be a wonderful trip down memory lane: for me it supported and powered the action, voicing the workers’ incredible mixture of emotions and shouting defiance to the world.

The outstanding performance has to be that of Jo Freer as Helen Monaghan.  Without Helen’s quiet determination to fight for jobs for her co-workers the sit-in would have gone nowhere.  Somehow this quiet unassuming shop steward found the inner resources to keep going in the face of determined opposition [and complete male indifference] and support and strengthen everyone else around her at the same time.  Jo’s performance is simply unforgettable.

Oh the power of a strong woman!  I hope that the telling of this story will remind people of the power of the individual and the ‘little person’ and inspire more acts of resistance in the face of increasing abuses of power and denial of justice.

The National Theatre of Scotland presents Stand and deliver, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Run Ended.

The Tour will call at The Byre Theatre St Andrews, Eastgate Theatre Peebles, Mull Threatre Tobermory, Eden Court Theatre Inverness, Lanternhouse Cumbernauld, and the Beacon Arts Centre Greenock. For more information go to: Stand & Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-in | National Theatre of Scotland

**** (4 stars)

“Showcases the breadth of talent that defines Scottish Opera”

I badly want to give this production five stars – and if I saw it a little later in the run, I’m sure I would.  The production is lively and doesn’t muck about with the basic story; the characters are very well cast; the music is of course wonderful; costumes, lighting and set design serve to enhance rather than hinder the story-telling; and the singers range from very good to outstanding. 

My reservations come from the huge weight of the four main roles – Count and Countess Almaviva and their servants, Figaro and Susanna.  All four singers had really great moments, and were never less than very good – it’s just that maintaining excellence throughout a long a complex opera is hard.  Knowing when to relax slightly in order to give your all in a few moments’ time, when not to push but allow the voice to float over the orchestra; husbanding your energy for when you really need it…all takes time to work out and absorb.  Not to mention first night nerves!  All this will come with time, and very soon in the case of these four very talented singers – which is why I’d really like to see another performance in a few weeks’ time, when it will fulfil its first night promises and dazzle everyone who comes to see it.

The basic plot is simple – Figaro wants to marry Susanna; the Count wants to bed her before her wedding night; the Countess struggles with the misery of having been wooed and won then rejected by her husband.  Complications arise in the form of Cherubino, a young lad who’s besotted with every woman in sight; Marcellina, who also wants to marry Figaro; Dr Bartolo who wants revenge on Figaro for preventing him from marrying his wealthy ward, Rosina [now the Countess]; Don Basilio simply delights in scandal and intrigue; Barbarina wants Cherubino; and her father Antonio simply wants to stop people jumping out of windows and crushing his geraniums.  Plots, disguises, locked closets, a military commission, a foundling reunited with his parents, and a chorus of servants who simply want to get on with the promised party all add to the mayhem.

Thomas Allen’s production is wonderful in that it makes the story as easy to follow as it might be while not forcing it into some strange Concept that makes one feel the producer hasn’t actually read the script.  I must confess I wondered about Susanna’s praising the friendly darkness ofthe night when there was a giant harvest moon in the sky, and whether the cornfield which provided the helpful stooks of corn actually grew right up to the walls of the Almaviva home – but these are design rather than production quibbles.  Costumes are appropriate to the period and quietly underline the difference in social standing between master and servant.  Lighting, as it should, illuminates the plot, and good choreography also helped us see what was going on.

And, of course, there’s Mozart, who with librettist da Ponte created one of the most beautifully balanced and plotted of all operas.  Amanda Holden’s translation is superb, especially in the plot-advancing recitatives and, while I might wish that the singers didn’t need to have their words up in the supertitles, it meant that everyone present was able to understand, enjoy, and be completely involved in what was going on on stage.  I wonder how many ‘first timers’ were present?  Certainly there was a huge laugh when Marcellina is revealed to be Figaro’s mother!

Scottish Opera’s orchestra were, as ever, brilliant, and conducted for this run by Dane Lam.  As for the singers – well!  It’s a cast which needs a vast range of superlatives to describe them all.  Emerging Artist Edward Jowle has already shown his quality in a number of smaller roles with Scottish Opera, while Ava Dodd as his Susanna was making her Scottish Opera début and making me keen to see her again very soon.  Ian Rucker, another debutant, was an excellent Count, with just the occasional American ‘a’ colouring his delivery: his Countess, Alexandra Lowe, stood up to him spiritedly, generous with her forgiveness after all his hypocritical blustering.  I just wish I could believe his repentance would last… 

Simone McIntosh was captivating as Cherubino – the perfectly awkward, emotionally overflowing teenager who can’t control his reactions and is desperate to gain experience with any woman who’ll allow this.  Jeni Bern was a wonderfully warm and engaging Marcellina, rather than the bitter, ageing spinster so often seen on stage – I’m just really sad she didn’t get her pro-women aria which is a wonderful counterfoil to Figaro’s bitter condemnation of them which immediately follows in the score.  Edward Hawkins was a delight as Dr Bartolo – tall, elegant, wryly witty rather than the blustering old fool one so often sees – while Scottish Opera Emerging Artist, tenor Luva Maranti, made the most of Basilio’s all-too-brief contributions.  I really look forward to hearing his gorgeous voice in a more prominent role very soon.

The whole production showcased the breadth of talent that defines Scottish Opera’s productions.  The audience showed their appreciation with applause for many of the arias and ensembles and were loudly vociferous in their congratulations at the final curtain.  Another thoroughly enjoyable evening, an entertainment which will be brought to a theatre near you in the coming weeks.  Don’t miss it!

And oh my – next year’s programme is mouth-wateringly delectable!  Puccini’s Turandot, Beethoven’s Fidelio and my all-time favourite Handel – Alcina – are the main attractions, but there’s more… get hold of a copy of The next era which outlines the programme for 2026/7 and start clearing dates in your diary!!

Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Scottish Opera, Theatre Royal, Glasgow runs until Saturday 23^rd May for more information and tickets go to: Scottish Opera – The Marriage of Figaro Tickets | Theatre Royal Glasgow in Glasgow | ATG Tickets

The Production will also perform at:

The Festival Theatre Edinburgh, Friday 29^th May to Saturday 6^th June for more info go to: The Marriage of Figaro – Capital Theatres

His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen Thursday 11^th June to Saturday 13^th June for more information go to: The Marriage of Figaro | Aberdeen Performing Arts

Eden Court Theatre, Inverness Thursday 18^th June to Saturday 20^th June for more info go to: The Marriage of Figaro | Eden Court