{{short description|Play written by Tony Roper}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}} {{Use British English|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox play | image = The Steamie 2026 Tour.jpg | image_alt = Promotional poster for The Steamie 2026 Tour | caption = Poster for the official 2026 touring production. | writer = Tony Roper }} {{Infobox television | image = | caption = | alt_name = | genre = Comedy drama | creator = | developer = | writer = Tony Roper | director = Haldane Duncan | creative_director = | starring = Eileen McCallum<br>Dorothy Paul<br>Katy Murphy<br>Sheila Donald<br>Peter Mullan<br>Caroline Paterson | voices = | narrator = | theme_music_composer = | open_theme = | end_theme = | composer = Dave Anderson | country = Scotland | language = Contemporary Scots | executive_producer = Robert Love | producer = Sandy Ross<br>Haldane Duncan | editor = | location = Glasgow, Scotland | cinematography = Billy Morton<br>Alan Nicol | camera = | runtime = 78 minutes,<br>49 seconds | company = Scottish Television | channel = Scottish Television (STV) | first_aired = {{Start date|df=yes|1988|12|31}} | last_aired = | related = }} '''''The Steamie''''' is a comedy-drama stage play, written by Tony Roper.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2012/03/19/jane-mccarry-shows-shes-still-game-for-steamie-role/|title=Jane McCarry shows she's still game for Steamie role|first=Kirsty|last=Topping|publisher=Deadline|date=19 March 2012|accessdate=30 November 2017}}</ref> It is set on Hogmanay in the early 1950s and provides a window on the lives and aspirations of a group of Glasgow women washing their clothes in a public washhouse (steamie). It was commissioned by Borderline Theatre in the early 1980s and first staged by Wildcat at the Crawfurd Theatre, Glasgow in 1987.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/15617673.review-the-steamie-is-tony-ropers-love-note-to-scottish-culture/|title=Review: The Steamie is Tony Roper's love note to Scottish culture|website=Glasgow Times}}</ref><ref>McMillan, Joyce (2017), ''The Steamie'', Souvenir Programme for the 30th Anniversary Production, 28th August 2017</ref>
A television version was made by Scottish Television for Hogmanay 1988.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18124348.issue-day-steamie/|title=Issue of the day: The Steamie|website=HeraldScotland}}</ref> It gained immediate popularity, and has been repeated many times over the years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/tv/your-hogmanay-perfect-start-steamie-14098156|title=Get your Hogmanay off to the perfect start with The Steamie tonight|first=Jennifer|last=Russell|date=31 December 2017|website=GlasgowLive}}</ref> It starred Dorothy Paul, Eileen McCallum, Katy Murphy, Sheila Donald, Faye Milligan and Peter Mullan.<ref name=bfi>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7996996a|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170310144456/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7996996a|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 March 2017|title=The Steamie (1988)|website=BFI}}</ref> Future ''EastEnders'' cast member Caroline Paterson also made an appearance.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/tv-radio/when-i-walked-on-to-eastenders-set-i-felt-like-1050314|title=When I walked on to EastEnders set I felt like only actress in cast of real people, says Caroline Paterson|first=Brian|last=McIver|date=11 February 2010|website=Daily Record}}</ref> Haldane Duncan co-produced and directed it.<ref name=bfi/> A novelisation, also by Roper, was published in 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/2570831-the-steamie|title=The Steamie|website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref>
''The Steamie'' came second in an online poll for the television 'list' show ''STV's Top 30 Best Loved Shows'',<ref>{{cite news | title = ''stv's Top 30 Best Loved Shows'' | publisher = stv.tv | date = 3 January 2009 | url = http://www.stv.tv/top30 | accessdate = 2009-01-03}}</ref> shown on Saturday 3 January 2009. The following day, a short documentary - ''The Steamie Story'' was broadcast on STV, marking the 21st anniversary of its first TV transmission. This was followed by the show itself. ''The Steamie'' is available to view in full on the STV Player<ref>{{cite news |title = ''The Steamie'' |publisher = STV Player |date = 3 January 2009 |url = http://player.stv.tv/programmes/the-steamie/ |accessdate = 2009-07-23 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090807072522/http://player.stv.tv/programmes/the-steamie/ |archivedate = 7 August 2009 |df = dmy-all }}</ref> in Scotland. A 30th anniversary touring production with a cast comprising Libby McArthur, Mary McCusker, Steven McNicoll, Carmen Pieraccini and Fiona Wood was first performed at the Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy on 6 September 2017.
In 2019, ''The Steamie'' was revived for a large-scale production at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro Arena. Written and directed by Tony Roper, the Hogmanay staging marked the show’s biggest presentation, performed over six nights to audiences of around 20,000.
The cast featured Louise McCarthy, Gayle Telfer Stevens, Harry Ward, Fiona Wood, and Mary McCusker. The production was presented by Neil Laidlaw Productions, with Ryan Dewar credited as associate director and camera director. Reviews noted the scale and affection of the revival.{{cite web |date=29 December 2019 |title=Theatre review: The Steamie, SSE Hydro, Glasgow |url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/theatre-review-the-steamie-sse-hydro-glasgow-1398727 |access-date=26 October 2025 |website=The Scotsman}}{{cite web |date=30 December 2019 |title=The Steamie review at SSE Hydro, Glasgow – return of the Scots comedy classic |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/the-steamie-review-at-sse-hydro-glasgow–return-of-the-scots-comedy-classic |access-date=26 October 2025 |website=The Stage}}{{cite web |date=31 December 2019 |title=The Steamie at SSE Hydro review: glorious new staging, cult wash-house |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/steamie-sse-hydro-review-glorious-new-staging-cult-washhouse/ |access-date=26 October 2025 |website=The Telegraph}}{{cite web |title=The Steamie comes to Glasgow's SSE Hydro this Hogmanay |url=https://theatreweekly.com/the-steamie-comes-to-glasgows-sse-hydro-this-hogmanay/ |website=Theatre Weekly}}
In 2022 the first authorised drag staging of the play was presented at the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall in Glasgow. This production was directed by Finlay McLay and starred Stewart W Fraser / Sally Starshine as Mrs Culfeathers, Grant F Kidd / Auntie Effie as Magrit, James T Smith / Nomi Divine as Doreen, Jim Dickson as Dolly and Kirsty Whyte / Roxy Stardust as Andy. In 2023 the drag production embarked on a Scottish national tour with the majority of the 2022 cast, with Darren Brownlie replacing Jim Dickson as Dolly.
In 2025, a new national tour of The Steamie was announced, scheduled to take place in 2026, produced by Ryan Dewar and Louise McCarthy (Rerr Terr Productions)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Glasgow |first=What's On |title=Much loved classic Scottish play, The Steamie, is set to return to venues in 2026 {{!}} News |url=https://www.whatsonglasgow.co.uk/news/2025/11/12/much-loved-classic-scottish-play,-the-steamie,-is-set-to-return-to-venues-in-2026/ |access-date=2025-11-18 |website=What's On Glasgow |language=en}}</ref> and Tony Roper returning as director .{{cite web |title=The Steamie Tour – Official Website |url=https://thesteamietour.com |access-date= |website=TheSteamieTour.com}}
==Critical reception== Of the stage version, ''The Scotsman'' opined, "The play has a kind of hilarious perfection"; while in the ''Daily Mail'', Jack Tinker wrote, "The four Glaswegian biddies who rub, scrub and gossip their way...one Hogmanay eve back in the fifties create a clubbable camaraderie from their labours in a way entirely lacking today...Hearts are worn on rolled-up sleeves. It is impossible not to adore every rose-tinted minute."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digital.nls.uk/scottish-theatre/steamie/index.html|title=The Steamie - Scottish plays - National Library of Scotland|website=digital.nls.uk}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://player.stv.tv/summary/the-steamie/ ''The Steamie''] on STV Player
{{DEFAULTSORT:Steamie, The}} Category:1987 plays Category:British television films Category:British television plays Category:Culture in Glasgow Category:Hogmanay Category:Plays set in Scotland Category:Scottish plays Category:Scottish television films Category:Television shows produced by Scottish Television Category:Television shows set in Glasgow Category:Theatre in Scotland