★★★★★

Standing at the Sky’s Edge is currently the hottest ticket in town. It arrived at the National from a hugely successful run at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield – the setting for this new British musical. Set in one flat in Sheffield’s notorious Park Hill estate this ‘jukebox musical’ tells the story of post-war Britain in a way that everyone can relate with, even if they have never set foot in Sheffield.

You may have noticed that I put the words ‘jukebox musical’ in quotes. That is because this is not your traditional jukebox musical. If we think about shows like Mamma Mia or & Juliet we have songs that have been firmly placed within the narrative and the lyrics are used to tell us the story that is playing out on stage. Whilst the songs in Standing at the Sky’s Edge are (mostly) pre-written (by Richard Hawley) they don’t always fit in with the narrative and move the story along. I guess the closest I’ve seen to this is Girl from the North Country which uses the songs of Bob Dylan. Both shows use the songs to set the mood and portray a sense of emotion and a sense of the community. They don’t always fit with the narrative. Sometimes the songs are sung by the characters in a scene, sometimes they are sung from microphones while characters transition around them. I admit to not knowing the songs in their original form, but was blown away by their new arrangements by Tom Deering.

The set, designed by Ben Stones is very clever with the back (or is it the side – the Olivier can be a bit disorientating) is walkway that is part of the 1960s tower block and houses the band, plus some of the action. But the focus is on the flat and the way that director Robert Hastie uses this is genius. We simply have the outline of the flat and some basic furniture. The multiple entrance and exits allow the characters from three different eras (1960, 1989, and 2015) to blend together as their three distinct, but ultimately linked stories are told.

The choreography by Lynne Page perfectly compliments the evoke the mood of the show. There are no jazz hands here, simply glorious movement and repeated motifs which take us on a journey.

The cast is outstanding, each perfect in their roles. Rachel Wooding as 60s housewife Rose particularly stands out – a woman with hopes and dreams which end up being swallowed up by the tower block in which she lives.

I had heard that this show was firmly entrenched in the Sheffield landscape – and it is – but that does not mean that it doesn’t resonate with audiences from elsewhere. As a southerner I, naturally, grew up with Worcestershire Sauce, not the infamous Henderson Sauce which regularly appears in the show. But I was also a child in one of the eras portrayed here. Though the media I became aware of the impact of political policies in places far from where I lived. Ultimately at the heart of this show is a community brought together by circumstances and an address. I can see this running away with a large handful of Olivier awards this year – and hopefully a West End transfer!

Standing at the Sky’s Edge is at the Olivier at the National Theatre until 25 March 2023

Photos © Johan Persson