Multi-award-winning pop duo the Pet Shop Boys are to compose an original score for David Almond’s children’s show My Dad’s A Birdman, which plays at the Young Vic this Christmas.
Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, aka The Pet Shop Boys, exploded onto the UK music scene in 1985 with their number one single West End Girls and have continued making their unique brand of electronic pop music ever since. Their numerous hits have included Suburbia, It’s A Sin, Always On My Mind, Left To My Own Devices, Go West and, more recently, Love Etc, while the duo has collaborated with everyone from Dusty Springfield, Tina Turner and Liza Minnelli to Robbie Williams and Girls Aloud.
Tennant and Lowe are no strangers to composing for theatre, having written the score for Jonathan Harvey’s Closer To Heaven, which played at London’s Arts theatre in 2001. Lowe also wrote a song for Daniel Kramer’s 2006 revival of Martin Sherman’s play Bent at Trafalgar Studios. Next year the duo ventures into dance by composing a full-length ballet for Sadler’s Wells entitled The Most Incredible Thing.
My Dad’s A Birdman, which plays at the Young Vic from 25 November to 1 January, is a tale for five to eight-year-olds which tells of a Great Human Bird Competition. Lizzie and Jackie have been building their nest and are preparing for take off, but Auntie Doreen disapproves. Will the father and daughter duo get a chance to fly?
Author Almond is a best-selling children’s writer whose books include The Fire-Eaters, Kit’s Wilderness, Clay and Skellig, which was adapted for the Young Vic stage in 2003.
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