Theatre News

New musical in the works from writers behind "Video Killed the Radio Star"

The new work will be influenced by Shakespeare’s ”The Tempest”

Bruce Woolley and Trevor Horn, two of the writers behind hit song "Video Killed the Radio Star", have told WhatsOnStage that they are developing a new musical, provisionally entitled The Robot Sings.

The project, which is in initial development, will be based on an original story influenced by Shakespeare's The Tempest. It will take place in a world in which robots obediently serve their human masters. When an orphan's robot is shut down, his attempts to save her could trigger an all-out war. The musical will feature original compositions as well as their famous track.

Written by Woolley, Horn and Geoff Downes, also known as The Buggles, the music video for "Video Killed the Radio Star" was the first ever shown on MTV when it launched in 1981. A new version of the song was recently released by Woolley and The Radio Science Orchestra.

Dates and a venue are yet to be announced.