Rambert & Pet Shop Boys team up for new production of It’s A Sin at Aviva Studios

Renowned contemporary dance company Rambert has announced a major new dance work inspired by the award-winning Channel 4 series, It’s A Sin, in partnership with Factory International.

This bold reimagining sees original series creator Russell T Davies (Queer As Folk, Doctor Who) serving as Executive Producer, alongside legendary pop duo Pet Shop Boys and Glyn Fussell (Sink the Pink, Mighty Hoopla festival).

The production will be choreographed and directed by Rambert’s Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer, reigniting his partnership with Dramaturg Kaite O’Reilly (The Almond and The Seahorse) on the development of a new script for the show.

Set to make its premiere in Manchester at Aviva Studios, the show is described as a ‘raw, euphoric and deeply moving visceral theatre experience’, crafted by an extraordinary creative team.

Originally set in London between 1981 and 1991, Davies’ story follows a generation of young gay men and their friends as the HIV/AIDS crisis unfolds around them. Rambert will transform this narrative into an immersive, living experience where contemporary dance, archive and cinematic visuals collide as past and present unfold side by side.

Shaping the musical landscape, Composer and Music Supervisor Roman GianArthur (Grammy-nominated albums, multi-instrumentalist credits include Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer and The Age of Pleasure) will compose the music with the support of executive producers Pet Shop Boys.

Set and video design comes from Luke Halls Studio (West Side Story, concerts from Adele, Pet Shop Boys,  Dua Lipa, Take That), whose work spans global arena tours and major stage productions.

On the announcement of It’s A Sin, Benoit Swan Pouffer said: “Storytelling sits at the heart of Rambert’s mission. This is a story we feel compelled to tell right now, and collaborating with Russell – one of the most powerful storytellers of our time — is incredibly exciting. Together we’re exploring how dance and choreography can carry urgent, emotional narratives in a visceral way. I can’t wait to share this with audiences, and there is so much more still to come as the work evolves.”

Russell T Davies said: “It’s A Sin was such a special show for me, and it’s one of the greatest honours of my life to have the show transformed by Rambert into something new and exciting.”

Pet Shop Boys commented: “The original TV drama was a landmark series which compellingly presented the reality and tragedy of the Aids crisis to a mass audience. Our song “It’s a sin” was contemporary with the crisis and we are proud to be involved as this poignant and important story is interpreted in a different medium.”

It’s A Sin is a Rambert and Factory International co-production that will premiere at Aviva Studios in Manchester. It is co-produced with Wales Millennium Centre, Capital Theatres (Edinburgh), Sadler’s Wells Theatre and Les Théâtres de la Ville (Luxembourg). Full details, including venue, casting and performance dates, will be announced later this year.

Further announcements about the show will be made in due course.