Ian McKellen to voice L.S. Lowry from newly revealed 1970s tapes

Sir Ian McKellen will star in a BBC documentary that uses a trove of previously unheard audio tapes recorded with L.S. Lowry in the 1970s, 50 years after the artist's death. The recordings, made during Lowry’s final four years and said to be the longest interview the artist ever gave, were captured in his living room and are described as revealing his authentic voice; McKellen will lip-sync to the tapes on screen.

McKellen called the role a “unique privilege”, saying the tapes “reveal an intimate insight into the artist’s thoughts – his ambitions, regrets and his humour.” The film, titled L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes, is also billed as a portrait of 20th-century urban life in the north of England and explores the transformation of Salford and Greater Manchester, the region Lowry depicted.

Filmmakers noted a “surprising exchange” between Lowry and a young fan, Angela Barratt, whose interviews “capture Lowry in his most intimate, reflective moments”; the role of Angela will be played by Annabel Smith. Lowry is known for his depictions of working-class urban life and his distinctive “matchstick men”.

Richard Grossick, representing the Lowry estate, said it was “good fortune that these compelling recordings... have survived and are being used in this way,” and Michael Simpson of the Lowry said the tapes show “an artist of wit, contradiction and perhaps surprising depth, far removed from the myth of the ‘simple man’”.

Key Topics

Culture, L.s. Lowry, Ian Mckellen, Greater Manchester, Annabel Smith, Angela Barratt