A FOLK play that has touched the hearts of mining communities while touring the North will be performed one last time in the most fitting of venues.

The final showing of the musical She’s Fired will be at Seaham Town Hall, County Durham, on the site of the former pit which the play commemorates.

The play tells the story of one of the region's worst ever pit disasters- an explosion at Seaham Colliery, in September 1880.

Seaham poet Bob Lowery, a blacksmith who used to work at the pit, and musician John Wrightson, a former mining electrician, wrote it in memory of the164 men and boys and 181 ponies that lost their lives in the tragedy.

It was first performed at Sedgefield Folk Festival in 2012 and was meant to be a one off but the audience’s response was so positive it went on to tour venues across the region for almost four years.

But as the performers all have other commitments they decided to bring the curtain down on She’s Fired- having secured the perfect venue for their final tribute to those that lost their lives underground.

“We’ve given 14 performances all over the North-East to sell out houses and we felt that a show at The Sage in Gateshead would be the final one as it was so big.

“But then we were asked to do Seaham and had to, it is such a significant venue being in the place the play commemorates,” said Joan Edmundson, who performs in the play with the John Wrightson Band.

Ms Edmundson said the play combines tragedy- concentrating on a scene at the colliery face where nine men and six boys waited in vain to be rescued- with comedy in the form of World Champion spoon player Bert Draycott.

She said: “It tells the real cost of mining, when coal was put before men and we feel it has been a fitting tribute to the region’s mining heritage and to those who lost their lives.

“Everywhere we’ve played there have been people with family connections to mining or people who said it was so entertaining it should turn professional and go national, it has been very special to be part of.”

She’s Fired will be at Seaham Town Hall, Stockton Road, on Saturday, April 23, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £8 from the venue on 0191-581-8034.