Pet Shop Boys at dead of night, Closer To Heaven musical

Closer To Heaven musical

The musical Closer To Heaven ran from May 15th to October 13th 2002 in Arts Theatre in London
and in June 2005 in Visy Theatre, Brisbane, Australia

Closer To Heaven musical logo

Visit Funnily Enough site for many reviews of the musical

Outline
London's club-land. Suddenly what was wrong seems right...
Dave, young, sexy and fresh from Ireland, falls for beautiful, ambitious Shell and streetwise drug dealer Mile End Lee. Billie Trix, seventies rock icon and now hostess of a glitzy London nightclub, is there when they need to turn to "mother". Meanwhile the outrageous Bob Saunders, pop manager extraordinaire, has his own plans for Dave. As fame and fortune beckon, Dave quickly learns that things aren't always as straightforward as they seem.

Where
Australia:
Visy Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane, Australia

United Kingdom:
Arts Theatre, Great Newport Street, Leicester Square, London WC2 (map of the area)

What have Neil said
"By saving theatre you simultaneously save pop music. The theatre needs people who are 19 years old, can sing and dance and be really chaismatic. So could those people not join pop groups like Hear'Say, please. Part of the idea is to see if we can change the kind of audience that goes to the theatre. People go to live concerts all the time but they don't go to the theatre. They're not in the habit of going. They think it's high culture. But school kids always seem to have a great time when they go."
(Q 6/2001)

Songs performed in the musical and names of characters - interpreters

For lyrics please visit the lyrics section

My Night
Billie, Straight Dave, Shell, Vic, Flynn, Mile End Lee

Closer To Heaven
Shell and Vic

Something Special
Straight Dave

Positive Role Model
(instrumental)

Closer To Heaven
Shell and Dave

In Denial
Vic and Shell

Call Me Old-fashioned
Saunders

Nine Out Of Ten
Shell and Straight Dave

It's Just My Little Tribute To Caligula, Darling
Billie

Hedonism
(instrumental)

Friendly fire
Billie

In Denial
Straight Dave and Shell

Something Special (reprise)
Straight Dave

Shameless
Vile Celebrities

Vampires
Vic

Closer To Heaven
Straight Dave and Mile End Lee

Out Of My System
Shell, Billie, Flynn, Trannies

K-hole (featuring Run, Girl, Run!)
(instrumental)

For All Of Us
Straight Dave

Positive Role Model
Straight Dave

My Night
the company

Each version of Closer To Heaven has different lyrics

Among the songs, which could have appear in the musical, but were left out in the end, are The Only One, For Your Own Good, Tall Thin Men, A Little Black Dress, Home and You've Got To Start Somewhere.

Cast and creators
Neil Tennant - music, lyrics
Chris Lowe - music, lyrics
Jonathan Harvey - script
Paul Keating - leading male role (Straight Dave)
Amanda Harris (replaced Frances Barber) - leading female role (Billie)

Andrew Lloyd Webber - production
Peter Darling - choreography
Gemma Bodinetz - direction
Es Devlin - design