From Page to Stage: Pet Shop Boys and The Most Incredible Thing

Once upon a time--in February 2009 to be exact--I blogged about reports that the Pet Shop Boys were working on a ballet based on a story by Hans Christian Andersen. That ballet is now finished and will start its run at Sadler's Wells Theatre in London from 17-27 March. I envy all you lucky Londoners who can go see it! I will have to content myself with the two-disc soundtrack which will be released, also in March. The play is based on The Most Incredible Thing, which is not an Andersen story that I am familiar with, though clearly that is about to change.

You can see Neil and Chris talking about the ballet in this video. It must be incredible, as it completely dominates my blog! (Ok--it could just be a formatting issue--but still! I sure wish I could go see it.)

Musical Theater

I never thought I'd get the chance to combine this blog with my love of pop music, but at last I can! The BBC reports that the Pet Shop Boys, one of my all-time favorite bands, is writing a ballet based on a Hans Christian Andersen story. I've not yet been able to find a source that says which story they are using, so watch this space. Of course, the PSB have shown themselves to be quite literary in the past, naming one of their songs Can You Forgive Her, which Trollope enthusiasts will recognize as the title of the first Palliser novel (and PSB singer Neil Tennet mentioned that he was reading the book at the time of the song's writing.) Andersen himself is no stranger to adaptations in other mediums. It sounds like a match made in Heaven!