The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists at The Playhouse

They paint the houses of the wealthy but they can’t afford to heat their own.

Ensemble 84's adaptation of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists follows the original narrative of Robert Tressell's radical classic, a group of painters and decorators scraping a living. The work is hard, the pay is poor and unemployment is always close.

Among them is Frank Owen, a worker who sees the system for what it is. While the others blame bad luck, foreign workers or themselves, Owen tries to show them who really benefits from their labour. Through argument and humour, he exposes how wealth is created by workers and taken by those who own the job. But the truth is not always welcome. The men are tired, frightened and desperate to keep working. Solidarity is difficult when everyone is competing for the next wage.

Ensemble '84 brings the story to Horden through a contemporary lens, and its questions remain urgent. Who creates the wealth? Who takes the profit? Why are the people doing the work still expected to be grateful?

Funny, angry and sharp, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is a story about work, poverty, friendship and the struggle to imagine a fairer world.