'Men Should Weep' was written by Ena Lamont Stewart in 1947. A moving and funny portrayal of impoverished 1930s Glasgow, a raw salute to the human spirit.
Once they've been laid in yer airms, they're in yer heart tae the end of yer days, no matter whit way they turn oot.
Despite cramped tenement living and the turmoil of seven children, there is laughter and strength in the Morrison family. Tough and tender mother Maggie, one of the great stage roles for women, just about holds together her unruly brood against wretched poverty.
But sniping neighbours, the flight of daughter Jenny, and the unexpected return to their overcrowded quarters of Maggie's son and his sexually restless wife erodes her spirit. And then, just as temporary employment for beloved husband John affords a decent Christmas, wayward Jenny returns with new-found wealth, offering them the chance of escape and one big moral dilemma.
Ena Lamont Stewart's Men Should Weep, was voted one of the top hundred plays of the last century in the NT millennium poll.