Richard Hawley musical 'Standing at the Sky's Edge' being staged at London's National Theatre

Standing at the Sky’s Edge is a musical that features music and lyrics by former Pulp and Longpigs guitarist (and great solo artist in his own right) Richard Hawley. Following runs in Sheffield in 2019 and 2021, the musical recently made its London premiere at the National Theatre and can been seen through March 25. Named for Hawley’s 2012 album, it’s a love letter to the city of Sheffield, and features Hawley songs from his solo albums and songs written just for this, with a book by Chris Bush. Here’s the synopsis:

Poppy wants to escape her old life in London. Joy and Jimmy want to spend the rest of their lives together. Rose and Harry want the new life they’ve been promised.

A love letter to Sheffield and a history of modern Britain told through the stories of one iconic estate, Standing at the Sky’s Edge charts the hopes and dreams of three generations over the course of six tumultuous decades.

You can watch a trailer for it below, and if you’re in London over the next month, tickets are on sale. Standing at the Sky’s Edge has been getting rave reviews from critics and fellow musicians like Pet Shop Boys: