Enter the Land of Our Fathers

Land of Our Fathers

Six lost voices reach an audience of thousands. And all it took was 40 years.

Wales Millennium Centre has teamed up with The Space to create an online broadcast of Land Of Our Fathers – the story of a group of Welsh miners trapped down a coal mine during the 1979 General Election.

Land of Our Fathers main characters scene

3 May 1979, South Wales. As Thatcher counts her votes, Sid Vicious spins in his grave and six Welsh miners are trapped down a coal mine. As they wait to be rescued, secrets come out and accusations fly. Within two weeks, everything they know will have changed.

Land of Our Fathers main characters scene

Chris Urch’s brilliant début play is touring to mining towns across Wales and England, and WMC has joined forces with The Space to bring the miners’ stories to even more people across the UK with an online broadcast.

You can see the production, which was supported with funding from Arts Council Wales, in full for free on BBC Arts, alongside exclusive footage of interviews with Chris Urch and clips from the film.

Screenings of the production were held in the following locations:

12 September, 7pm – Theatr Colwyn

1 November, 7.30pm – Pontardawe Arts Centre

1 November, 7pm – Weston Studio, Wales Millenium Studio

11 November – Newbridge Memo (Celynen Collieries Institute & Memorial)

And the stage production of Land of Our Fathers will tour Wales this October and November before touring venues in England in January and February 2016. Details here.

Check back soon for further details.

About this artist

Land of Our Fathers is produced by Wales Millennium Centre, Theatre503 and Tara Finney Productions.

Written by Chris Urch and directed by Paul Robinson, it won Time Out’s Fringe Show of the Year 2013, and The Stage Critic’s Pick 2015, and was nominated for 5 Off West End Awards – Best Director, Best Production, Best Set, Best Lighting and Best New Play.