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2008 |
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This had the Audience Rolling with Laughter |
The play is set in an old
Glasgow "Steamie" (Steam Laundry) in the 50's, at a time when Glasgow
was going through a rapid re-generation. Old slums and bomb ravaged
buildings were being demolished and whole communities were being
transferred to the new "Posh" schemes like Drumchapel as mentioned in
the script.
The play takes place showing the old "Community" spirit when the women
all met at the "Steamie" and not only did the weekly wash but caught up
on all the local gossip and scandal. It is said that no woman would dare
miss their day with their compatriots in case they, themselves, would
end up as the topic of the day
This, I presume, became the birth of the old Glasgow saying that "So and
So, was the talk of the Steamie".
Tony Roper, the writer, has compiled a play based in the East End of
Glasgow and depicts the style of life that was prevalent in Cities
throughout Scotland after the war, although the old Glasgow humour
certainly adds to the fun of the evening, and I must apologise to both
the younger members of our audience and to any adult who may be unclear
as to the meaning of some of the words and/or phrases used in the text.
Don't worry I'm sure that you will get the gist of it and if you don't
just ask anyone in the audience who appears to be over 60, however, I am
confident that it will not detract from the enjoyment of the
performance.
Tony has based his characters on people that he knew as a kid and , I am
certain, you will also recognise someone you know in Mrs. Culfeathers,
Magrit, Doreen and Dolly |
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Back Row
Irene
MacGregor Vicky O'Reilly Rosemary Lonie
(DOLLY) (DOREEN) (MAGRIT)
Front Row
Ian
Carmichael Betty Norris– Smith
(ANDY) (MRS CULFEATHERS) |
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In order of appearance
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Mrs.
Culfeathers (Nicky Whitelaw.)
An old lady who took
in washing for a fee. This was the fate of many elderly women who had to
do washing or scrubbing the stairs. These older ladies had the respect
of Magrit and Dolly's generation as they knew that a similar outcome
could be their fate. |
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Magrit. (Rosemary Lonie.)
A bit "Torn
Faced", but good hearted, with a drunken husband and makes the best of
it by joking about him. |
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Doreen. (Victoria O'Reilly.)
The youngest of the
"Ladies", not long married and with hopes of moving to the new, and
better, housing with inside toilets etc. In the interim, she still holds
on to the old "Local" values and the familiar faces that she grew up
with. |
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Dolly. (Irene McGregor.)
A little older than
Magrit and a bit of a chatterbox. She obviously knew her area and the
families who lived in it. A throwback to when Glasgow people were born,
married, lived and died within the few blocks of tenements that they
grew up in. |
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Andy. (Ian Carmichael.)
The Janitor with an
eye for the ladies and a penchant for a drink.
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