"Standing At The Sky's Edge"by Chris Bush with original songs by Richard HawleyVenue: The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.
Finally, this very evening, Shirley and I got to see this locally acclaimed musical that will soon transfer to The National Theatre in London. We were supposed to see it in March 2020 but then that little old thing called COVID came along and thwarted us.
We had great seats tonight but didn't know quite what to expect. We understood it would somehow feature brutalist high rise social housing that rose from a Sheffield hilltop called Sky's Edge in the late nineteen sixties. And we knew there'd be songs from a local musical hero called Richard Hawley. He lives just a stone's throw from this keyboard.
It was a clever technique to interweave the personal stories of three sets of residents - one from when the flats first opened, another from the nineteen eighties and the third from 2015.
There were many high points and funny moments created by a talented cast. The singing was excellent - made easier by the strong songs that Richard Hawley brought to the production. When I witnessed "Tonight the Streets Are Ours" as we approached the interval, I had a huge smile on my face and tears were trickling down my cheeks. It was one of those special moments in the theatre when you get lost in it all and forget yourself.
It was about ordinary people and their hopes and dreams and how they strive to be happy and contented in spite of everything that life throws at them.
The auditorium was full and at the end when the cast made their assembled bows, the entire audience rose to their feet and provided thunderous applause. We had shared a most beautiful and uplifting evening which I won't forget in a long time. It will be interesting to see how London audiences react to a musical that on the surface appears to be northern and parochial. I think there's much more to it than that.
It's great when you see such a fine production and the audience recognizes that it's a great performance.
ReplyDeleteTo be part of that audience was a great feeling. You don't get that when watching a fine TV show.
DeleteIt sounds quite interesting to me; I love stories told across time and generation. And as a musical??? Yes, please.
ReplyDeleteIt had socialist undertones that I think you would have appreciated Bob.
DeleteKind of a shame it isn't a movie that might make its way to Australia.
ReplyDeleteNow that it is moving to London its stars may rise.
DeleteIt sounds like a wonderful musical which led me to more reading about Sheffield.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see something so wonderful emerge from Sheffield without apology. It is the fifth largest city in Great Britain but shhh! Keep that quiet!
DeleteThe musical sounds marvellous. Who said, 'The poor will always among us'? Many of us will know people who worked low paying but hard jobs. They can be great members of the community, bring up their children well etc, but just seem unlucky in life. I think England does public housing better than Australia, in spite of some very poor and troublesome tower blocks.
ReplyDeleteThe Tories from Thatcher onwards have under-invested in social housing. This has helped a lot of Tory developers and private landlords to become fabulously wealthy.
DeleteThis sounds like something I would greatly enjoy, too. I hope the performance has been filmed at some stage and will be available to watch full length, although I know from experience that a recording can never fully offer what the live experience does.
ReplyDeleteWill Ian and Sarah go and see it in London?
In answer to your last question, the answer is most definitely - yes!
DeleteAnything northern and parochial sounds right up my street. The singer in the video is very charismatic and you can tell he loves the play. I love plays and films that champion ordinary people. Little Voice for example.
ReplyDeleteThe stories of people who have lived in high rise social housing blocks have rarely been told.
DeleteAs soon as the last kid leaves our nest, I plan to frequent all the nearby musical theaters.
ReplyDeleteI hope the dancing girls have been told to be wary when exiting the stage door.
DeleteSounds like the kind of show that refills your soul.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed. Art - including the theatre - can do that.
DeleteGlad you had such an enjoyable night, Neil.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a while since I had such a good night in a theatre Ellen.
DeleteIt's good to be part of something that commands a standing ovation at the end.
ReplyDeleteTheatre and storytelling go together well. There is a lot of theatre Up North.
ReplyDeleteSounds very promising! I look forward to seeing it myself!
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