Other Performances
The original run of Closer to Heaven was from May 2001 to September 2001. This was extended to January 2002 because early performances were played to packed audiences. However, over the summer, audiences dwindled. In recent interviews, Neil Tennant has blamed this on poor marketing and bad press reviews. After the 11 September 2001 attacks, the Arts Theatre was worried about the continual fall of audience numbers across London and wanted a big audience puller, so Closer to Heaven closed on 13 October 2001. It was replaced with The Vagina Monologues.
When Closer to Heaven opened in London, the Pet Shop Boys said that there was interest from production companies all over the world, including New York and Germany.
In 2005, a short series of performances was produced by the Brisbane Powerhouse in Brisbane, Australia. The cast for the Australian production included:
- Billie Trix - Libby Munro
- Straight Dave - Regis Broadway
- Shell Christian - Crystal Taylor
- Mile End Lee - Joel Curtis
- Vic Christian - Chris Herden
- Bob Saunders - Chris Maver
- Flynn - David Dellit
- Billie's Babes - Joel Curtis, Olympia Kwitowski, Sarshee Elliot, Brad Kendrick, Remi Broadway, Ellen Casey
In December 2005, Pet Shop Boys announced that this production would be moving to Sydney to coincide with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras; however, the production was cancelled due to time constraints.
On 8 May 2006, Frances Barber joined Pet Shop Boys to perform "Friendly fire" at a concert for BBC Radio 2. This was recorded and later released as the Pet Shop Boys' live album Concrete.
The amateur City Theatre Company in Brighton staged "Closer to Heaven" in September 2009 at the Sallis Benney Theatre. It had a 5 day run, 22 to 26 September.
The first US production is scheduled for 1-24 October 2010, by Uptown Players in Dallas, Texas. The cast for this production includes:
- Billie Trix - Morgana Shaw
- Straight Dave - Evan Fuller
- Shell Christian - Lee Wadley
- Mile End Lee - Clayton Younkin
- Vic Christian - Jason Kane
- Bob Saunders - Coy Covington
- Flynn - Mikey Abrams
Read more about this topic: Closer To Heaven
Famous quotes containing the word performances:
“This play holds the season’s record [for early closing], thus far, with a run of four evening performances and one matinee. By an odd coincidence it ran just five performances too many.”
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967)
“At one of the later performances you asked why they called it a “miracle,”
Since nothing ever happened. That, of course, was the miracle
But you wanted to know why so much action took on so much life
And still managed to remain itself, aloof, smiling and courteous.”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)