It’s a Sin to Be Adapted as a Dance Show by Rambert
It’s a Sin, the acclaimed TV series depicting friendship amid the 1980s Aids crisis, is set to be transformed into a dance production. Rambert, the renowned dance company, is developing the new work following its successful 2022 adaptation of the TV series Peaky Blinders.
Russell T Davies, creator of It’s a Sin, will serve as executive producer on the project, which will be choreographed and directed by Benoit Swan Pouffer, Rambert’s artistic director. On Thursday, Pouffer emphasized the importance of storytelling to Rambert’s mission, stating,
“Storytelling sits at the heart of Rambert’s mission. 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.”
Executive Producers and Creative Team
Pet Shop Boys, whose 1987 single inspired the TV series title, are also executive producers of the dance show. The duo remarked that the series
“compellingly presented the reality and tragedy of the Aids crisis to a mass audience”and expressed pride in contributing to the reinterpretation of this significant story in a new medium.
The production will feature set and video design by Luke Halls Studio, frequent collaborators of Pet Shop Boys, combining archival footage with contemporary dance elements. Roman GianArthur, a member of Janelle Monáe’s Wondaland Arts Society collective, will compose the music, aiming to evoke
“the glamour, defiance and emotional intensity of 1980s queer life”, according to the official press release.
Production and Tour Plans
Co-produced by Factory International, the show will premiere at the £240 million Aviva Studios in Manchester, with dates to be announced. Following its debut, the production is scheduled for a tour. Russell T Davies commented on the adaptation, saying,
“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.”
Russell T Davies’s Previous Views on Adaptation
Davies had previously expressed hesitation about adapting the series for the stage. In 2024, three years after the series first aired, he revealed that he had been encouraged to create a musical adaptation but was reluctant. He explained,
“I just wanted to move on. I didn’t want to wallow. It was very strange, with its success – it was very hard to celebrate, because it was this enormous success and yet such a tragic true story … I just didn’t want to stay there. I thought, ‘I’ve done it’, and I felt like I’d be treading water or trying to repeat a success or almost profiting off something that’s very dark.”He also acknowledged at the time that he
“might go back to it one day.”
About the TV Series It’s a Sin
The TV series follows a group of young gay men who move to London in 1981, experiencing freedom and friendship while confronting the devastating HIV/Aids crisis throughout the decade. It received critical acclaim, winning best new drama at the National Television Awards in 2021 among other accolades.
Rambert’s Legacy and Co-Productions
Founded as a ballet company in London by Polish émigré Marie Rambert, Rambert is celebrating its centenary this year. The It’s a Sin dance production is co-produced with Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, Capital Theatres in Edinburgh, Les Théâtres de la Ville in Luxembourg, and Sadler’s Wells in London. Notably, Sadler’s Wells previously presented a dance show in 2011 featuring an original score by Pet Shop Boys.
Dance Adaptations of TV and Film
In recent years, dance companies have successfully expanded their audiences by adapting television series and films. Aviva Studios, which opened in 2023, debuted a production based on The Matrix with choreography by Kenrick “H20” Sandy. Additionally, Northern Ballet recently launched a touring version of Gentleman Jack, based on the life of 19th-century lesbian diarist Anne Lister.
