Drama
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
By Townsend Productions
Friday 23rd May 2025: 7:30pm
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
Neil Gore, presents a one-person version of the classic novel by Robert Tressell featuring projection, political conjuring tricks, live music and song. Meet the famous characters and enjoy the scenes, speeches and songs, featuring the Great Money Trick as its centrepiece.
This enduring and absorbing classic story of a year in the life of a group of Edwardian painters and decorators is brought to life by Neil Gore using his extensive knowledge of the book and the play, having performed it in many versions over forty years.
“The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists” follows a group of workers as they renovate ‘The Cave’, a three-storey town house, for Mayor Sweater. It traces their hardships and struggles
for survival in a complacent and stagnating Edwardian England.
These workers are the ‘philanthropists’ who throw themselves into back-breaking work for poverty wages in order to generate profit for their masters.
They are joined by artist Owen, whose spirited attacks on the dishonesty of capitalism along with his socialist vision, highlights the exploitation in their workplace but also focuses on the inequality in society as a whole.
Neil brought his tribute to the Clarion movement ‘Behold Ye Ramblers’ to the Heron last year and sold out the venue. His charm, storytelling and clever stage craft thrilled the audience. We are delighted that Neil has agreed to return to the Heron this year.
