Original Cast Members Reunite for West End Run of Lee Hall's The Pitmen Painters

Casting has been announced for the forthcoming West End production of Lee Hall’s The Pitmen Painters, which will reunite a number of original cast members from the play’s debut at the Live Theatre in Newcastle, as well as subsequent runs at London’s National Theatre, on Broadway and on a 2011 tour of the U.K. The production will begin performances at the Duchess Theatre on October 5 and open on October 11, directed by Max Roberts.

The cast includes original company members Ian Kelly as Robert Lyon, Michael Hodgson as Harry Wilson, David Whitaker as Jimmy Floyd and Brian Lonsdale as Young Lad/Ben Nicholson. Trevor Fox, who joined the cast on Broadway and on tour, will reprise the role of Oliver Kilbourn. Joy Brook and Viktoria Kay, who joined for the 2011 tour, will play Helen Sutherland and Susan Parks, respectively. Joe Caffrey, who played Billy’s father in the West End production of Hall’s Billy Elliot, will join the cast as George Brown.

The Pitmen Painters tells the true story of a group of Ashington miners who hired a professor to teach a class in art appreciation in 1934. Rapidly abandoning theory in favor of practice, the pitmen became prolific painters. Within a few years, avant-garde artists became their friends, and their work was acquired by prestigious collectors; but every day they continued to work, as before, down the mine.

Bill Kenwright's West End production will re-create original set and costume design by Gary McCann, lighting by Douglas Kuhrt and sound by Martin Hodgson.