NT's Pitmen Painters
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The Pitmen Painters set to make North West Debut

Following the start of The Lowry's Summer season, tickets are now on sale for Lee Hall’s award-winning play The Pitmen Painters, making its North West debut this Autumn, following sell-out seasons at Live Theatre Newcastle and the National Theatre.

Inspired by William Feaver’s book, the play brings to life the story of the Ashington Group - miners from Northumberland who became celebrated painters. The Pitmen Painters is a humorous, deeply moving and timely look at art, class and politics.

In 1934, a group of Ashington miners hired a professor to teach an art appreciation evening class. Rapidly abandoning theory in favour of practice, the pitmen began to paint. Within a few years the most avant-garde artists became their friends and their work was acquired by prestigious collections; but every day they worked, as before, down the mine.

Lee Hall wrote the screenplay for Billy Elliot and adapted it for the West End in 2005, winning an Olivier Award for Best New Musical, which opened on Broadway in November 2008. His plays also include Spoonface Steinberg (Ambassadors), Cooking with Elvis (Live Theatre, Assembly Rooms and West End), and an adaptation of Herman Heijerman’s The Good Hope for the NT.

A co-production between Live Theatre, Newcastle and the National Theatre, the production is directed by Max Roberts and designed by Gary McCann, with lighting by Douglas Kuhrt and sound by Martin Hodgson.

The Pitmen Painters runs at the Lowry from 27 -31 October, 2009.

- by Glenn Meads

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