Pitmen and Palestine

Last Wednesday, I went to see "The Pitmen Painters" at The National Theatre.  It was an excellent and intensely moving play about a group of men who were miners in Ashington, England, in the 1930's and 40's.  They hired a man to teach them Art Appreciation.  Eventually, he asked them to paint their own works, and became famous.  The play told their story, and the history of the beginnings of socialism in England, and the importance of modern art.  It was emotionally affecting and very entertaining.  Just a note that no pictures in this post are mine.  All were gotten off of Google Images.

 

The next night, I went to see "Plan D" at the Tristan Bates Theatre, another moving play about a civilian Palestinian family running away from their home when Palestine was being converted into Israel, and the people were being driven out.  It was interesting, I expected the play to be a big religious debate, but there was not a single mention of race or religion.  The family did not even practice.  It was just a story of tragedy and family struggle.  The play was very well written, and some of the acting was brilliant.  Some of the acting was really bad too... but overall I liked it.