The Painter tells the story of Joseph Turner, who, at the start of the 19th century, was on his way from being just a working class Cockney to a painter who would change the landscape of British and international art forever. Turner was a man obsessed. Heavily reliant on his father and deeply affected by his mother’s rejection, the intensely prolific painter was isolated from the usual breed of artists. The Painter explores the relationships, the competition with Constable and the passion of the artist on the threshold of superstardom. 

The Painter is written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, whose work includes The Night Season and Her Naked Skin at the National Theatre. The Painter has been written especially to open the new home of the Arcola theatre, which moves from Arcola Street to Ashwin Street in January 2011.

The role of Turner is played by Toby Jones, whose work includes Every Good Boy Deserves Favour at the National Theatre, Parlour Song at the Almeida theatre and The Play What I Wrote in the West End. He is joined by Niamh Cusack, who has recently appeared in His Dark Materials at the National Theatre and Dancing At Lughnasa at the Old Vic.