A musical set in one of Sheffield’s most iconic estates has received rave reviews since reaching London’s West End theatres.
Standing At The Sky’s Edge is set in Sheffield’s brutalist council housing estate of Park Hill which peers over much of the city.
Chris Bush, 37, the playwright, from Sheffield said: ” Park Hill is truly unique in lots of ways, both artistically and sociologically, but it’s also extremely relatable and adaptable as a setting. The scale of it means you can plausibly tell more or less any story there.
“As we move into the West End, I want to challenge audiences’ preconceptions of the city and, by extension, the Park Hill Estate. There are struggles here, certainly, but also hope, optimism, humour, queerness, diversity, courage and kindness, just as you’ll find anywhere else.”
The musical has been lauded as ‘the most exciting new British musical in years’ by WhatsOnStage and it explores the history of modern England through the stories of the Park Hill estate.
Chris added: “It’s still shamefully common that the kind of characters who form the heart of Standing at the Sky’s Edge are reduced to funny accents and cheap jokes in other London-centric dramas.
“I instinctively knew who these people were, and wanted to craft them with detail and dignity.”
The play’s music and lyrics have been written by Richard Hawley and it is directed by Robert Hastie.
Chris said: ” The possibility of working with Richard Hawley was another big draw for me, and I’ll always jump at the chance to make work about Sheffield.”
The musical is now being performed at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London’s iconic West End, following sold-out runs at the National Theatre and Sheffield Theatres.
It has won numerous awards including an Olivier Award for Best New Musical, a UK Theatre Award for Best Musical Production, and the South Bank Sky Arts Award.
Chris added: “You genuinely never know how a piece will land until you put it in front of an audience. The response in Sheffield in 2019 was extraordinary, and I think we were all a little surprised and hugely relieved to see the city embrace the show in the way it has.”
Tickets for the musical are available to buy here.