The Pitmen Painters Tickets

Back in 2007 audiences were first treated to Lee Hall’s play “The Pitmen Painters” when it premiered at the Live Theatre in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and since then it has been seen all over the country and on the other side of the Atlantic as well. Now, in 2011, the show is set to make its latest appearance in the capital, following 2009’s transfer to the Lyttelton National Theatre, as it welcomes audiences to the Duchess Theatre. It will be the first time that the production has made its stand in the West End and it is likely that audiences will be flocking to witness the show from October.

The show is set to begin a UK tour this prior to its arrival at the Duchess Theatre and this will inevitably mean that audiences around the country will want to get a look-in on the production. But then, the work if Lee Hall is regularly met with great acclaim and enthusiasm, which is most evident with his famous work “Billy Elliot” (the film and the West End musical). He has also been behind the likes of “Spoonface Steinberg”, “Cooking with Elis”, “Wittgenstein on Tyne” and “I Luv You Jimmy Spud”, among others.

“The Pitmen Painters” is based on a real-life story involving miners in Ashington, Northumberland, in the 1930s and whilst the play shrinks the number of people involved drastically, their story remains intact. It was first dramatied in William Feaver’s novel and this is the starting point from which Lee Hall’s “The Pitmen Painters” comes together, relocating audiences to the 1930s and following their rise in the art world.

It begins when the miners hire Robert Lyons, an art teacher, to provide them with art appreciation classes, which progresses to them painting and producing their own art. Pretty soon they have an audience and word spreads fast about their talents, eventually leading to their work finding pride of place in some prestigious collections, whilst some top names in the art world are their friends. But ultimately, they must decide what kinds of lives they want to lead.

“The Pitmen Painters” begins its run at the Duchess Theatre on Tuesday 11th October 2011 (with previews from Wednesday 5th October 2011).