The Pitman Painters

Today we saw the Pitman Painters at the Beck Center.  Excellent play.  It's the true story about the Ashington Group, a group of coal miners in the United Kingdom starting in 1934.   They get together in an art appreciation class and eventually become famous for producing paintings themselves.   The play addresses the themes of classes, what is the nature of art, and what is an artist.   It was really fascinating to see this group of working class miners grow into something more than their profession in life.  I recommend this play to anyone who loves history, art, and/or art history.  It's funny, and yet also touching.  You can see some real character growth, both in the dialogue and in how each of the miners' art progresses.