L. S. Lowry reimagined in innovative new show Matchstalks Remastered

Two Manchester School of Theatre academics are bringing the world of L.S. Lowry to life in an innovative new production to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of his death.

Matchstalks Remastered offers audiences an imaginative new way to experience the work and legacy of renowned artist L.S. Lowry. 

Academics Michael Pinchbeck and Kevin Egan will take to the stage for the one-night performance on November 4. 

Commissioned by Word of Warning and The Lowry, the production combines theatre, music and visual art in a playful exploration of the artist’s work and cultural influence. 

The show marks the first collaboration between Pinchbeck and Egan.  

Inspired by Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs, the 1978 song about Lowry, the production transforms the song into a theatrical score that guides every aspect of the performance. 

Pinchbeck, Professor of Theatre, said: “Matchstalks Remastered is the culmination of three years research exploring how to stage popular music and painting. We have created a score based on the famous song by Brian and Michael and mapped it onto Lowry’s iconic paintings - the resulting performance is a rich tapestry weaving together archival footage and art history, stories about Lowry and the people and places he painted, and images and motifs from the music he inspired. We are excited about premiering it at Lowry to mark this anniversary.” 

The show follows two performers as they attempt to keep pace with a continuously scrolling score that dictates their movement, dialogue and action. Joined on stage by a live accordion player, they navigate a world of humorous stories while transforming into a range of characters, including Lowry himself, the songwriters and figures from the artist’s paintings. 

Drawing on archive material provided through the North West Film Archive, the production uses Lowry’s paintings as a visual roadmap throughout the performance. Audiences will gain fresh insight into Lowry’s work and the distinctive way he viewed the industrial landscapes of northern England. 

Egan, Senior Lecture in Contemporary Performance, said: “For this project, Brian and Michael’s song became the blueprint for everything we built on stage, organised through a live visual score that the audience can see unfolding in real time. I’m interested in how music, theatre and even Lowry’s paintings can all be understood as systems of rhythm, repetition and compositional logic, and how those structures, when translated into a score that guides our creative decisions, are perceived as restrictive or liberating elements depending on how we process the world around us.

“I enjoy seeing how Michael and I negotiate the score in the moment of performance and, like Lowry, while some might see it as a bleak and oppressive landscape, I see it as a form of beauty, vitality and possibility.” 

The production also showcases the work of Manchester Met alumna Rebecca Horswill, who has created original animations that bring elements of Lowry’s paintings to life on screen throughout the show.  

Horswill studied BA Drama and Contemporary Performance at Manchester Met, where she experimented with animation alongside creating live performances. This led her to completing a MA Animation degree and creating many animated pieces for organisations across the country.  

Horswill said: “From crowded busy scenes to the wag of a dog’s tail, I became truly consumed by L.S. Lowry’s world and the narrative-driven paintings. The animated score offers the opportunity for the audience to see into the world of Lowry but also to ask questions of who is behind the scenes, directing the piece and offering cues.” 

Matchstalks Remastered will be performed at The Lowry on Wednesday November 4.