Standing At The Sky’s Edge - Crucible/NT/Gillian Lynne

[BurlyBeaR]

I thought we had a thread for this already but I can’t find it.  Please feel free to correct me. 

WORLD PREMIÈRE

Friday 15 March - Saturday 6 April 2019

‘Tonight the streets are ours’

Standing at the Sky’s Edge is the epic new musical that takes us into the hearts and homes of the people of Park Hill, from its early days as an urban utopia all the way through to now.

Featuring new and classic songs from Sheffield's Mercury prize nominated Richard Hawley, Standing at the Sky's Edge has been named as one of 'the theatre shows you won't want to miss in 2019' by the BBC and as one of the 'musicals not to miss' by WhatsOnStage.

Ive been a bit dismissive of this but it opened on Friday and there’s an early buzz already. Went to book and bloody hell its virtually sold out for the whole run. 

Got one for early April. TallPaul when you going? 

[n1david]

I’m there on closing night, April 6. I love Richard Hawley’s music and I love the architecture of Park Hill. And my sister lives near Sheffield so it’s a good weekend away.

[showgirl]

Keen to hear reports of this as I am a huge fan of Richard Hawley's music; plus I've never seen a production in the main house yet. I so wanted to go but couldn't make the logistics work so am hoping for an transfer/tour. Hope you enjoy it, those of you who are seeing it soon!

[musicalfloozie]

I'm off tonight, I had been looking for a post but hadn't found one. Looking forward to it.

[TallPaul]

Yes, BurlyBeaR, it's sold very well, even with extra performances added. I'm going on the 27th of March. I've just logged into my account, and I booked my £15 ticket right back on 9 April 2018, which I think is a record for me!

I'm not going to post a picture, for copyright reasons, but the set looks amazing. They've only gone and built a full scale mock-up of Park Hill on the stage of the world-famous Crucible Theatre.

There was an hour long Richard Hawley special on the wireless just last Friday, which may be of interest: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p073hb88

I think it was added to the schedule too late for much of the physical publicity material, but if anyone is around at tea-time on Friday 5th April, there is a Behind the Scenes tour, for a nominal charge.

[TallPaul]

I think *we* may be onto something here!

***** The Stage
***** North West End 
***** Broadway World UK 
**** The Daily Telegraph 
**** The Times
**** The Guardian
**** Musical Theatre Review
**** WhatsOnStage

Hard to believe, I know, but I'm far too unimportant to be invited to the opening of anything, even an envelope, so I wasn't at the world-famous Crucible Theatre on Wednesday night, I was next door at the ballet, after which I went to the pub for a pint, or two.  When I left at 10.45 pm, Richard Hawley had already left his own party fashionably early, and was on his way home too. Very rock 'n' roll!

[Rukaya]

How exciting! I'm heading up there soon to see this and can't wait.

[Dr Tom]

Missed this one being advertised so just checked to see if I can make it.

Looks totally sold out apart from the remaining two Wednesday matinees when I'm working (and one of which is the dementia friendly performance).

Enjoy everyone who has secured a ticket. I suspect this will have a longer life.

[BurlyBeaR]

Ive had to invent an excuse not to attend a meeting in Glasgow in the day I’m booked for. In my defence I did look for other dates to exchange my ticket for but every date I looked at was completely sold out. So Glasgow lost.
Looking forward to seeing if this has potential for life outside Sheffield. The subject matter does seem very specific.

[TallPaul]

There has to be a limit to how many times you can use the old "I've got to take my pet monkey to the vets" excuse, BurlyBeaR?

(Though with Samantha Barks rumoured to be arriving in London's glittering West End next year, a visit may well be in order! Monkey nuts, anyone?) 🐒

[TallPaul]

Well, this is rather good. It's not perfect, and sometimes it's a little too complicated, or preachy, but it's still a very touching, big-hearted, multi-layered love story.

It's definitely not a musical, though. Many of the songs are not even sung by the 'core' cast, but at them, or around them, by the supporting artistes, supplemented by members of the Crucible's People's Theatre company.

After three brief establishing scenes, the characters, from three different periods in Park Hill's history, all inhabit the same space, often simultaneously, though never acknowledging each other.

The end of Act I, which is epic in scale, sees Park Hill at its lowest ebb. Sitting on Row A, and remembering that period, it was painful to watch, though nothing like the pain felt by the character directly in front of me. Act II opens with the title song, probably my favourite of the evening.

Plenty of laughing at ourselves, and southeners especially; a couple of rounds of show stopping applause for individual jokes, which is a first for me; and an immediate standing ovation, except from a married couple I kinda know. I always thought they were fairly normal, but it seems they subscribe to the BurlyBeaR school of theatre-going. 😃 Their prerogative, I suppose!

I never cry in public, so despite what anyone says, those weren't real tears running down my cheeks, just my eyes reacting to the non-toxic haze floating around the auditorium. 😭 That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

A solid four stars from me.

[BurlyBeaR]

Mar 28, 2019 12:33:28 GMT TallPaul said:

..an immediate standing ovation, except from a married couple I kinda know. I always thought they were fairly normal, but it seems they subscribe to the BurlyBeaR school of theatre-going. 😃 Their prerogative, I suppose!

[BurlyBeaR]

It’s epic, emotional and TOTALLY a musical!

It was being filmed tonight “for promotional purposes” but the cameras must have been in the lighting rigs because there was no sign of them.

Nice to see Darragh Cowley, Melchior in Hope Mill’s Spring Awakening opening the show with s gorgeous solo. Definitely an ensemble piece though and they’re all excellent.

It deserves a life after this.

[FrontroverPaul]

I travelled from Kent today to see the matinee performance and was totally blown away by this MUSICAL !!. It was always going to be a winner for me as I have all Richard Hawley's albums but it exceeded all my expectations. Beautifully acted and sung, well-crafted storyline and impressive staging. Good to know it's been filmed, cast recording CD please... (I know there's already a Richard Hawley albumw with the title)

I felt the same when I first saw Jamie at the Crucible and this show equally deserves a life outside of Sheffield. As a Southerner I did not feel excluded in any way by the local references and yes I also felt my eyes watering at one point.

I was told it finished at 17.10 but it was actually 17.18. Made my 17.29 advance ticket train back to London with only 90 seconds spare, missing it would have cost over £50 for another ticket. Despite my Senior Railcard status I can run like the clappers when there's that sort of money at stake !

[BurlyBeaR]

I’m trundling through the Hope Valley on the stopping train. 90 minutes to Piccadilly 😡

[TallPaul]

Home yet, BB?

I'm pleased you both enjoyed this PLAY WITH MUSIC.

We're all grown-ups, so even though I'm obviously right, I'm not going to get the monk on. 🙂 No tap dancing = no musical.

Did *we* ovate?

[BurlyBeaR]

No, “we” didn’t ovate. I was behind the gangway so no-one was blocking me seeing the bows and therefore didn’t need to. I might have cracked an imperceptible smile. Maybe.

[grannyjx6]

I went with my son to see it last week. All our family love Richard Hawley's music and we were definitely not disappointed with all the songs, some from his back catalogue and others written for the show. Like most others, I bawled my eyes out at a couple of points (you will know what I mean). Lots of laughs too and the most amazing singing. We booked very last minute and managed two side, back row seats for £50 (!!) each. Never paid that much for a show in Sheffield before, but it was definitely worth it. I really hope it travels as it's just wonderful. I too haven't been this excited about a Sheffield show since Jamie.

[BurlyBeaR]

Apr 4, 2019 20:13:41 GMT grannyjx6 said:

I went with my son to see it last week. All our family love Richard Hawley's music and we were definitely not disappointed with all the songs, some from his back catalogue and others written for the show. Like most others, I bawled my eyes out at a couple of points (you will know what I mean). Lots of laughs too and the most amazing singing. We booked very last minute and managed two side, back row seats for £50 (!!) each. Never paid that much for a show in Sheffield before, but it was definitely worth it. I really hope it travels as it's just wonderful. I too haven't been this excited about a Sheffield show since Jamie.

How did you find the view from there? I was struck by the design of the set and the way it was staged meant that even though I was sat a bit to one side it felt like i was viewing it head-on. They certainly seemed to be playing to the entire house and wow didn’t they fill that huge stage, and even beyond it when those couples appeared slow-dancing in the darkness behind the audience. That was a bit of a 😢 moment for me. 

I love the Crucible. 

[FrontroverPaul]

I also love The Crucible. Since my first visit a few years ago I've seen Showboat, Anything Goes. ...Jamie, Wizard Of Oz,... Mrs.Harris etc Even enjoyed Kiss Me Kate there which usually leaves me cold. I book a central front row seat at a weekday matinee for every original musical and always will. Got Guys and Dolls noted in my diary ready to book on 13 April.

It's my number one favourite venue outside London ( 2 being Chichester Festival Theatre, 3 Leicester Curve, 4 Cardiff Millennium Centre and 5 Canterbury Marlowe).

Fortunately I also like trains !

[TallPaul]

Without wanting to go too far off-thread, I've just spent a few days in Scarborough. I was making small talk at dinner one evening (get me!) with the man on the adjacent table. Despite only living in West Yorkshire, he genuinely had no idea that the Crucible is a working theatre for 49 weeks of the year. He seemed to think the entire building is mothballed at the end of the World Snooker Championship every year!

[n1david]

Well I thought this was pretty wonderful last night. As I said above, I love Richard Hawley’s music but have no real connection to Sheffield, although I love brutalist architecture and Park Hill has been one of my favourites for a while. I was a bit aware of its chequered history, but not in any great detail.

Well, after a bit of a shaky start - the first two soloists took a bit of time to find their voice - I was swept up in this. I liked the way that the three stories meshed fairly seamlessly, so there wasn’t a great clunking gearchange every time we moved between the stories. And I thought the book was clever enough to make the links between the characters’ experiences evident without being too obvious. The ultimate reveals were a bit join-the-dots, but by that time I could forgive anything. And the ending was more complex and nuanced than I thought it might be earlier in the show.

The music is powerful, but I do tend to the “play with music” camp rather than “musical” (as if it matters), with the music being illustrative rather than deeply embedded in the plot of the show. I was extremely impressed by the movement - the choreography was superb, and my seat half way up the stalls was perfect to see the complex ballet, how the characters interacted, echoed each other’s moves, and benefited from repetition, albeit with subtle difference each time to show changing or evolving situations. It would definitely repay another viewing to catch all the detail.

I wonder if this has a life outside Sheffield. It needs a particular type of theatre, with a large stage, and I couldn’t see a natural home for it in London - the Young Vic maybe, or once of the dance theatres like the Peacock if that didn’t marginalise its appeal. In terms of subject matter, I think the issues around economic rise and decline, and the issues of gentrification have resonance in many cities - some of the particular local references may need to be made more generic or explained, but I really think this would find an audience around the UK including London, although probably not a long West End run.

But I booked this over a year ago, and I’m so glad I did. It’s one of my highlights of the year so far, and I’ll be surprised if it’s not in my Top 5 at the end of the year.

[grannyjx6]

Apr 5, 2019 6:45:58 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Apr 4, 2019 20:13:41 GMT grannyjx6 said:

I went with my son to see it last week. All our family love Richard Hawley's music and we were definitely not disappointed with all the songs, some from his back catalogue and others written for the show. Like most others, I bawled my eyes out at a couple of points (you will know what I mean). Lots of laughs too and the most amazing singing. We booked very last minute and managed two side, back row seats for £50 (!!) each. Never paid that much for a show in Sheffield before, but it was definitely worth it. I really hope it travels as it's just wonderful. I too haven't been this excited about a Sheffield show since Jamie.

How did you find the view from there? I was struck by the design of the set and the way it was staged meant that even though I was sat a bit to one side it felt like i was viewing it head-on. They certainly seemed to be playing to the entire house and wow didn’t they fill that huge stage, and even beyond it when those couples appeared slow-dancing in the darkness behind the audience. That was a bit of a 😢 moment for me. 

I love the Crucible. 

Well we couldn't see everything, but there was so much going on I think even if we were front row centre it would have been difficult. I asked my son last year if he would like to go, he said yes but didn't finalise dates until a few days beforehand which is why we had so little choice. I would have loved to see it again as you can't always catch everything can you? 

Have you been in The Crucible Studio Burley? I was there last Monday for Anna Jane Casey and it was brilliant, such a fab, intimate venue.

[grannyjx6]

Apr 5, 2019 10:05:35 GMT TallPaul said:

Without wanting to go too far off-thread, I've just spent a few days in Scarborough. I was making small talk at dinner one evening (get me!) with the man on the adjacent table. Despite only living in West Yorkshire, he genuinely had no idea that the Crucible is a working theatre for 49 weeks of the year. He seemed to think the entire building is mothballed at the end of the World Snooker Championship every year!

Yes, a lot of folks only know it for the snooker (in fact lots of people only know Sheffield because of snooker), which is such a shame as the Christmas shows and Sheffield Theatre productions are always amazing there.

[Deleted]

Any buzz news on this as a transfer?Wanted to see it with the wife but couldn’t make it.She was at Uni at Hallam and lived in the depicted area in the show,I believe.