Cathay Pacific and Lloyd Webber Theatre Partnership and Review of Standing At The Sky’s Edge
Cathay Pacific and Lloyd Webber Theatre have announced a new partnership, and to celebrate we were treated to a performance of the multi-award winning musical Standing at the Sky’s Edge.
This partnership is the airline’s first outside Hong Kong and the first partnership between a travel brand and a UK theatre group. The airline will have a presence in all six Lloyd Webber Theatres- the group operating london landmarks such as the Palladium, Theatre Royal Dury Lane and His Majesty Theatres. Open on 13 June, the Cathay Pacific lounge in the London Palladium has green walls, leather sofas and dark wooden furnishings designed to match the airline’s colours and be a calming place. Three windows show a live feed of the streets below before changing to landscapes you may see on journeys on Cathay Pacific airlines. There’s also access to a private bar, bathrooms and the Palladium Red Coat Butlers. Cathay members can redeem Asia miles o theatre tickets, access backstage tours and private dinners with the cast when they book online.
At the launch on 13 June Kinto Chan, regional general manager of Europe for Cathay said ‘we make it our mission to help people connect to people which mean something. Connect them to places that mean something and basically give them an experience that would enrich their life…our goal is to bring wonderful experiences to our customers and elevate their everyday life and what’s better than taking them to the theatre?’
I’d heard good things about Standing at the Sky’s Edge so I was excited to see it. Set in Sheffield, it charts the lives of three different families from the 60s to the 2020s within the same flat. We meet optimistic Harry and Rose as newlyweds in the 60s, Joy -who has escaped war in Libya- and her blossoming friendship with Jimmie in the 80s, and Poppy and Nikki in the aftermath of their break-up in the 2010s. We see social and political issues at play such as Thatcherism and Brexit. We experience love, loss, friendship and the formation of families – biological and chosen- with them. It’s a story of a fighting against a system that always seems to pull you down. It’s a story of home and what that means to each individual. Although described as a ‘love letter to Sheffield’ the themes themselves are universal.
With Ben Stone’s set, the Park Hill Estate where the action is set is a character itself. Park Hill was originally a council housing estate opened in Sheffield in the 60s but by the late 80s it had declined before being gentrified in the 2010s. The towering 13 storey estate is recreated with two storey’s where we see the musicians, concrete columns, stairways and a ‘street in the sky’. An ‘ I luv you will you marry me sign’ is scrawled to the side- which until reading the program I had no idea was an actual iconic sign at Park Hill. The inside of the flat is a simple yet timeless design- a kitchen table and chairs, fridge, sofa and small kitchen area. Director Robert Haste and choreographer Lynne Page have done a fabulous job of using space, and some of my favourite moments are when the three interconnecting groups share the same space simultaneously without interacting. I’m still amazed at how well crafted the dining room scene was. Park Hill rises high above the railway station allowing tenants to overlook the Sheffield skyline and this is portrayed through back and forth movement. We get the feeling they are indeed standing at the sky’s edge.
The story is set to the music and lyrics of singer-songwriter Richard Hawley. Heavy with strings and guitars, genres and eras meld together. Opening song ‘As the Dawn Breaks’ gets you hooked with its beautiful lyrics about savouring the moment and finding meaning in the little things. I was particularly impressed with act one closer ‘There’s A Storm A-coming’ and act two’s opening ‘Standing at the Sky’s Edge’. Both bring the ensemble together, with the latter having the ensemble all with their individual mics. All the performers were amazing but with her belting vocals, Lauryn Redding as Nikki was a stand-out.
Award-winning playwright Chris Bush is herself from Sheffield. She has created a heartfelt, witty dialogue, where one of the most enjoyable aspects is seeing the character growth. It’s easy to see why ‘Standing at the Sky’s Edge’ won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical in 2023.
Standing at the Sky’s Edge is performing at the Gillian Lynne Theatre until 3rd August.
For Cathay Pacific
Website: https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_GB.html
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cathaypacific
For Lloyd Webber Theatres
Website: https://lwtheatres.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lwtheatres
For Standing at Skye’s Edge
Address: Gillian Lynne Theatre, 166 Drury Lane, WC2B 5PW.
Website: https://www.skysedgemusical.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skysedgemusical
Written by Caitlin Neal
