91Èȱ¬

A documentary to screen on 91Èȱ¬ One in the North East and Cumbria next Monday night (11 October at 7.30pm) will follow playwright Lee Hall and the cast of The Pitmen Painters as they take the critically acclaimed play to Broadway.

Presented by actor Christopher Connel, who plays miner and painter Oliver Kilbourn in the play, the programme follows the cast's rehearsals in Newcastle, their arrival at New York's Samuel J Friedman Theatre (home of the Manhattan Theatre Club) through to the tension of the first night.

The play, which opened on 30 September this year, has attracted some extremely positive reviews stateside with The New York Daily News describing the play as "warm and wonderfully acted" with "uniformly stellar performances from the terrific cast." The New York Post said: "smart and inspirational in a way that never panders to the audience."

"I just felt that this was a piece that had to be done," says artistic director Lynne Meadow from the Manhattan Theatre Club. "It's an exploration of the difficulties of being an artist… it's a play that explores class …it really resonates here."

It's almost unheard of for an all-British cast to perform on Broadway – let alone a bunch of Geordies – but Hall was determined that if he was going to take the play to Broadway that it had to be with the original cast.

"This is the first time in 40 years that we have brought over an entire company of actors… the authenticity leaps across the stage," says theatre executive producer Barry Grove.

One of the biggest challenges for an American audience was whether they would be able to understand what was being said, and so Hall and the Theatre had to think carefully about how they might adapt the play.

They did this by cutting certain cultural references and content that might be amusing to a British audience but an American audience wouldn't understand.

"We've trimmed away and re-shaped it a bit – it's like sharpening a blade," says Hall.

William Feaver, whose book about the Pitmen Painters inspired Lee to write the play in the first place, is also at the opening night and comes to support Lee and the cast.

Feaver knew the miners personally and, when asked what they would have made of all the hype and specifically a premiere says: "Tickled and delighted, proud, embarrassed – this would be the most supreme embarrassment of the lot – and wonderful at the same time!"

After the play the cast are enthused with the reaction they have had from the audience and the fact that the Geordie accent didn't seem to be a problem.

"The accents didn't get in the way – I've seen Billy Elliot," says one woman.

"It's all from the heart, so you get what they are saying," says another.

"It's quite funny to think that for at least until Christmas a little corner of New York will be Ashington – and I think we should be really proud that we brought that from the North East to New York," says Chris.

The Pitmen Painters, 91Èȱ¬ One (North East & Cumbria), Monday 11 October at 7.30pm. Also available nationally on 91Èȱ¬ iPlayer.

RF