There was one show in recent years that I had been sorry to miss and that was 2019’s original premiere of Standing At The Sky’s Edge, at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre. Having spent a large part of my childhood here and it being where my parents still live, having a new show about such a great city, that I know so well, felt incredibly exciting. So, when it was scheduled to return in 2020 I booked immediately and was thrilled to also hear it would be heading down to London later that year. Well, we all know how 2020 turned out and I was worried I’d never get to see the show, which also won Best Musical Production at the 2019 UK Theatre Awards and the 2020 South Bank Sky Arts Award for Theatre.

So, when Sheffield Theatres announced 2022’s Christmas show would be the return of the show, with a many of the original cast and creative team returning as well, I was ecstatic! Having waited three years to finally see it, I did wonder whether it could live up to my expectations and after attending last week’s weekday matinee, I’m thrilled to say that it exceeded them and I’d go as far as to say it’s one of the best theatre productions I’ve seen in quite some time.

Standing At The Sky’s Edge tells the story of Sheffield’s historic and indeed iconic Park Hill Flats, which anyone who has lived in the city knows about, due to their position, standing high over the city centre skyline in the Park Hill area since the building opened in 1959. Yet, over the decades, its reputation worsened and the building was allowed to deteriorate, despite being home to so many working class families, who’d built a community within its brutalist structure on the “Streets in the Sky”. There was a time when Sheffield residents thought its days were numbered. Yet, in 1997, Park Hill Flats was granted Grade-II listed status by English Heritage, making it the largest listed structure in Europe and following the purchase of the estate in the early 2000s, it has been subject to an extensive regeneration, with new flats, commercial space and community spaces created. If you ever visit Sheffield, you’ll see the multi-coloured panels on the regenerated structure looking down on the city from “the sky’s edge” (or if you’re a Doctor Who fan, you’ll know it as where Yaz lived in the recent era of the series).

This new Sheffield theatre production tells the story of Park Hill Flats over three different time periods. Three generations of residents living in the same flat (or thereabouts after regeneration) over the years, starting in 1960, 1989 and 2015, with each story strand moving forward through time from there. It’s a brilliant concept, as it means we don’t just get to know the people, but we get to live with them through almost 60 years of not just the building’s history, or even Sheffield history, but also British history and see how some things change and some things seem fated to repeat themselves years later. Telling three different stories simultaneously may sound complicated and hard to follow, but the book by Chris Bush is written in a way that ensures it moves organically from one to the next, feeling grounded and completely immersive throughout. I was surprised how invested I became in the lives of these characters and how much their joys and struggles hit me emotionally as I watched. By telling the story in this way, the show also provides a history lesson for the audience on some of the country’s most significant events from the 1960s onwards, whether the changing of political parties in power, the shifting place for women in society and the workplace, to the decline of the steel industry, something which of course hit Sheffield very hard and in particular those living in estates like Park Hill Flats whose livelihoods depended on the industry.

Photo credit – Johan Persson

Indeed, one of the production’s biggest strengths is how so many elements of the past resonate with its audience today and perhaps more so in 2023 than when it debuted in 2019 – strikes, increasing costs of living, people fleeing their homes in other countries and in need of asylum and their hope for a new life and political turmoil, alongside people’s everyday hopes, fears and dreams, all feel sharply relevant today and this perhaps adds to the connection I felt to the characters’ lives when watching it. I think this is also what makes the show appeal not just to Sheffielders, or even Northerners, but to people from across the country. Yes, some of the references and jokes will probably have more meaning for those from, or familiar with, Sheffield (no, Henderson’s Relish is not just Worcestershire sauce!), but it’s ultimately about community and family and that resonates universally.

Although it is a musical, which I know puts some people off, this is more a story that happens to have songs in it, rather than one such as Les Miserables (which I love) in which the entire show is comprised of people singing the story and it really does work, as the emotional tone of the songs always reflect the tone at that point in the story, meaning the music and story always feel in step with each other. Despite my personal connection with Sheffield, I am ashamed to say I wasn’t very familiar with the songs of Sheffield musician and songwriter Richard Hawley, known for his work as a solo artist and with the bands Pulp and The Longpigs, but my parents certainly were and it is his songs, from across his solo albums over the decades, as well as some new material written especially for this show, that are woven through this story and I left the theatre a new fan (thankfully my parents have most of his albums for me to brush up on!). The songs are a fantastic mix of Hawley’s styles, but in particular rock and indie rock/pop and the fact he’s always tended to write about his hometown within his work, means they are perfect to accompany this story and indeed I found the soundtrack to this show refreshingly different from most musicals out there. I’ve just learnt the cast have recorded an cast album, so I’ll certainly be purchasing that on release!

As well as a beautiful story and a fabulous soundtrack, Standing At The Sky’s Edge also soars due to its superb ensemble cast. There are no weak links on this stage, with every cast member giving both a strong acting and vocal performance. It’s no exaggeration to say that some of the vocal talent here could easily forge successful singing careers and due to the breadth of the songs within the show, it allows for different voices, from rock to others reminding me of Amy Winehouse and this further adds to the fabric of the story of the lives of so many different types of people living within one building. I loved the ensemble rock anthems, but also the solo, more soulful pieces too. It’s a testament to this wonderful cast that it feels wrong to call out individuals. They are all excellent.

The show’s ability to pull you in to the world of Park Hill Flats, which is indeed a character in its own right, is also aided by Ben Stones’ fantastic set design, which although may initially appear simple, with a living area from the flat we see over the decades taking centre stage and the iconic structure of the architecture of the building as its backdrop. Yet, the walkways of the flats really come to life, also aided by the placing of the superb live band within it, breathing life in to it and the living space itself feels larger than it is thanks to the effective design, combined with Lynne Page’s excellent choreography, as the various characters from different eras, live within it, moving seamlessly around each other, in an effortless dance. It’s so cleverly constructed and yet always feels real and authentic.

As I’m sure you’ve gathered by now, I loved this show. It was funny, entertaining, emotional and though-provoking and through a brilliant script, a fantastic set of songs and such a talented cast and creative team, this really does feel like something special and is absolutely the type of theatre that should be being made today. I’m so thrilled that I was finally able to see it, especially in Sheffield and I’m also so happy that the London transfer, that was cancelled due to the pandemic, will now happen next month, as once the show ends its current Sheffield run, it’s moving down to the National Theatre, where it’ll be perfect for the Olivier stage. It’ll come as no surprise that, as I currently live in the capital, my tickets for its London debut are already booked and I hope it’s just the start of this show’s life. I’ll be curious to see if the audiences in London get as much joy from it as the audiences in its hometown. I’m pretty confident that they will.

My Rating – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Standing At The Sky’s Edge continues its run at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre until 21st January. Tickets are sold out, but do keep checking the website for returns – https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/standing-at-the-skys-edge-2

The show’s run at London’s National Theatre is from 9th February – 25th March. Tickets can currently be bought at all price bands from the National Theatre’s website – https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/standing-at-the-skys-edge