Heartfelt thanks to Carrie and Andrew at The Crucible Theatre for their invitation of a backstage tour and ticket for the Opening Night Performance of Standing at the Sky’s Edge. This run marks the return, with slight tweaks, to that performed pre-Covid. Its Sheffield heritage is bold and centre with music and lyrics by Richard Hawley and from a book by adopted Sheffielder, Chris Bush. Many hilarious one-liners (none of which I will reveal!) and local references give these performances at our beloved Crucible an especial resonance.
Central to the plot are Park Hill flats, one of our city’s brutalist icons. Standing at the Sky’s Edge follows three groups of residents from the sixties to the present, cleverly interweaving their stories as well as the fortunes of this listed site. The set, designed by Ben Stones, in glorious grey, is a theatrical interpretation of Park Hill’s interior and exterior, lighting and neon transforming it into the technicolour of Phase 1.
There is a natural synergy between the subject matter and the architecture of the theatre as well as the cyclical nature of history, reflected poignantly in the depiction of the Miners’ Strike and a sense of abandonment felt in the north. Like the flats and the theatre, Standing at the Sky’s Edge is a profound exploration of optimism and human potential, the significance of each person’s story and what we all need to survive and thrive.
Directed by Robert Hastie, the show will be transferring to London in the new year and to The National Theatre who are co-producing the show. Another of our favourite brutalist buildings, it will be exciting to see how Standing at the Sky’s Edge plays there. We hope it receives the same warm reception as last night.
Run dates
Saturday 10 Dec 2022 - Saturday 21 Jan 2023
Prices
Tickets start from £15
To book
Tickets available from sheffieldtheatres.co.uk, by telephone on 0114 249 6000 or in person via the Box Office.