United Players present
The Pitmen Painters
By Lee Hall
Directed by Jack Paterson*
Jan 24 – Feb 16, 2014
Jericho Arts Centre
“Smartly directed by Jack Paterson, this dignified production is one of the most consistently pleasing shows in recent memory.”
– The Province
“This is some of the best ensemble acting you’ll see…Jack Paterson does a stellar job of directing.”
– The Courier
“…liberates the imagination in as provocative and illuminating a manner as one could wish for…Paterson has done an admirable job of directing a strong cast in a production that is sure to be remembered for its vitality, evanescence and robust depth”
– Reviewvancouver.org
Featuring Stephanie Dyck, James Gill, Keith Martin Gordey*, Paul Herbert,* Kurtis Maguire, Alexis Quednau, John Prowse*, and Michael Wild,
Set Design by Jessica Oostergo | Lighting Design by Graham Ockley | Costumes by Lisa Sadler | Sound Design by Jeff Tymochuk | Technical Direction by Krysten Neeson | Stage Management by Andy Sandberg,| Produced by Vera Gammert.
In 1934, a group of Ashington miners and a dental mechanic hired a professor from Newcastle University to teach an Art Appreciation evening class. Unable to understand each other, they embarked on one of the most unusual experiments in British art as the pitmen learned to become painters. Within a few years the most avant-garde artists became their friends, their work was taken for prestigious collections and they were celebrated throughout the British art world; but every day they worked, as before, down the mine. A true story made into a heartwarming play.
*Appears courtesy of Canadian Actor’s Equity Association
