Pet Shop Boys Pen Songs for Almond’s Birdman

In their latest theatrical venture, Pet Shop Boys Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe are writing songs for Skellig author David Almond‘s new stage show My Dad’s a Birdman, which premieres at the Young Vic this Christmas. The duo have teamed up with opera director Oliver Mears on the children’s show, which runs from 25 November 2010 to 1 January 2011.

Written for five- to eight-year-olds, the play centres on a father and daughter duo who’ve been building a nest in preparation for the Great Human Bird Competition. But Auntie Doreen disapproves and is out to bring some order back to No.2 Lark Rise. Will they get a chance to fly, or will sums, dumplings and headmasters get in their way?

David Almond, author of the best-selling books Skellig (which was staged by Trevor Nunn at the Young Vic) and Kit’s Wilderness, won the Hans Christian Andersen Medal earlier this year and is twice winner of the Whitbread Children’s Book Award.

The Pet Shop Boys are the most successful pop duo in British chart history, having sold over 50 million albums worldwide. Their new ballet, The Most Incredible Thing, which will be directed and choreographed by Javier de Frutos, premieres at Sadler’s Wells in March 2011.