LOCAL WRITERS CHRIS ARNOT AND RICHARD YEOMANS TALK ABOUT THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF PITMEN & PAINTERS AT THE CRITERION THEATRE, THURSDAY 12TH MARCH, 8.00P.M. FREE ENTRANCE. BAR. ALL WELCOME.
MINER ARTISTS: The pitmen who went from coalface to canvas
On Thursday 12th March commencing at 8.00 p.m. the Criterion Theatre in Berkeley Road South will host a special evening commemorating those who worked in Britain’s mining industry and how it has been reflected in works of art. The evening has been planned to explore the fascinating background to the Criterion’s latest production, Lee Hall’s ‘The Pitmen Painters’ directed by Pete Bagley, which runs from 21st-28th March.
Well-known Earlsdon resident Chris Arnot, who was formerly Features Editor at the Coventry Evening Telegraph, will be relating some of the stories he uncovered in the course of his research for his 2013 book ‘Britain’s Lost Mines’. He will not only be telling some of the tales about the Ashington miners’ group whose story is told in the play, but also referring to other mining communities which have produced pitmen artists. Lee Hall has described Chris’ book as “a gorgeous tribute to a whole world which has vanished” and comments, “It’s hard not to be moved by the scale and the importance of what has disappeared – an extraordinary gallery of lives and landscape”.
The evening will also include an illustrated talk by Richard Yeomans about the paintings of the Ashington Goup. A former lecturer in Art and Design at Warwick University and the author of several books on art and architecture, Yeomans studied at Newcastle University where he recalls meeting some of the artists who are the subject of his talk.
Finally, Pete Bagley, the director of the play, will speak about the preparations he has made in order to rehearse the actors who will be bringing to life on stage the story of the famous Ashington Group. The bar will be open and it is to be hoped that the event will attract those interested in art as well as those who have an interest in the social history of the mining industry. The event is free and open to non-members. All are welcome.