Ashington painters are back in the spotlight

Posted by The Journal on Mar 22, 09 11:38 AM in News

Newcastle's Theatre Royal has announced the return of The Pitmen Painters.

Lee Hall's award-winning play is to enjoy its second run in the region, after a sell-out success at the National Theatre in London.

A scene from Pitmen Painters

Audiences can catch the poignant drama from September 29 until October 3, during a nine-week national tour.

It's the second time, after dark comedy Cooking With Elvis, that a play by Newcastle-born Hall has debuted at Live Theatre on the quayside and ended up at the Theatre Royal following a stint in the capital.

The Pitmen Painters is based on the true story of the Ashington Group of miners who won fame in the art world in the 1930s.

It has proved to be another hit for the writer of Billy Elliot, the film and stage musical.

Chief executive Philip Bernays of Theatre Royal said: "Since it opened at Live Theatre back in September 2007, The Pitmen Painters has gone on to become one of the most talked about and heralded new plays of recent years.

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