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Transfer News: Standing at the Sky’s Edge

Written by Jamie Griffiths on April 3, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVKi5xiwtIU

Transfer News: Standing at the Sky’s Edge

03-04-23

The National Theatre and Various Productions have announced that the critically acclaimed Sheffield Theatres’ production of Standing at the Sky’s Edge will transfer to the Gillian Lynne Theatre, in London’s West End, from February 2024. The new British musical won ‘Best New Musical’ with Sheffield singer-songwriter, Richard Hawley and Tom Deering winning ‘Best Original Score and New Orchestrations’ at last night’s 2023 Olivier Awards ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall. Dates, including assisted performances, casting and booking information to be announced.

Standing at the Sky’s Edge was originally written as a love letter to Sheffield and an ode to the iconic Park Hill Estate. Directed by Sheffield Theatres’ Artistic Director, Robert Hastie, featuring songs by Richard Hawley and with book by Chris Bush, it charts the hopes and dreams of three generations over the course of six tumultuous decades. Revealing the history of modern Britain, through the stories of this iconic housing estate, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, is a heartfelt exploration of the power of community and what it is we all call home.

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First commissioned by Sheffield Theatres and Various Productions, Standing at the Sky’s Edge had its world premiere at the Crucible Theatre in 2019. Following a hugely successful, sold-out run, it returned to the Crucible Theatre in December 2022, selling out again, before making its London premiere in the National Theatre’s Olivier theatre in early 2023 where it continued to sell-out and receive standing ovations.

Composer, Richard Hawley said: “In all honesty I never really thought this story would leave the inside of our minds but to see it blossom and grow from a heartfelt set of ideas exchanged in a Sheffield pub to sell out shows at the Crucible and National theatres every single night has been a very powerful experience. The drive, focus and determination to allow the voices and history of Park Hill to be heard at last by everyone involved has been equally mind-blowing. This would’ve been more than enough for me to say the least…but the West End?…next you’ll be telling me Sheffield Wednesday are going up this season!”

Playwright, Chris Bush said: “Making Standing at the Sky’s Edge has been the most extraordinary and rewarding experience of my professional career. To see audiences at the National Theatre leap to their feet for these characters and these stories with the same enthusiasm as those in Sheffield has meant the world to me. For all its hyper-specificity, the last few months have cemented for us that these themes of home, of love, of fresh starts and second chances, are utterly universal. I’m absolutely thrilled that we’ll get to introduce Park Hill to a whole new set of audiences in 2024.”

Director, Robert Hastie said:“We’ve all been thrilled by the response to Standing at the Sky’s Edge during great runs at the Sheffield Crucible and the National Theatre. It’s a massive achievement by everyone involved to have told this story with such passion and commitment that we’re now able to announce this transfer to the Gillian Lynne, the perfect theatre for this story’s next chapter. I’m enormously proud and excited.”

Standing at the Sky’s Edge has also won ‘Best Musical Production’ at the UK Theatre Awards in 2019 and the 2020 South Bank Sky Arts Award for Theatre. Hastie is joined by set and costume designer, Ben Stones; choreographer, Lynne Page; music supervisor, arranger and orchestrator, Tom Deering; lighting designer Mark Henderson; sound designer, Bobby Aitken and wigs, hair & make-up designer, Cynthia De La Rosa.

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