The Steamie is one of Scotland’s most cherished theatrical treasures, a heart-warming, laugh-out-loud play that captures the humour, resilience and quiet heroism of working-class women.    As relevant today as it was when it originally staged in 1987. 

Set in a Glasgow washhouse on Hogmanay in the late 1950s, The Steamie is a modern Scottish classic, a warm, funny and deeply human play that celebrates friendship, working-class resilience and the rituals of a bygone era. Written by Tony Roper, with songs by Dave Anderson, the play has become a beloved staple of Scottish theatre, secondary school reading lists, adored by audiences for its humour, heart, and sharp observational detail.

The story follows four women, Dolly, Magrit, Doreen, and Mrs Culfeathers, as they gather for the final wash of the year in a Glasgow washhouse (“steamie”). Between scrubbing and steaming clothes, they share gossip, jokes, frustrations and dreams for the future. As midnight approaches, their conversations shift from the hilariously mundane to the deeply poignant, revealing fears of loneliness, change, and the erosion of community. The arrival of Andy, the local handyman, adds further comic chaos to the night as the drinks flow heading towards the bells.