Channel 4’s “deeply affecting” “masterpiece” It’s A Sin getting spin-off

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Rambert, a leading contemporary dance company, will be turning Russell T Davies’ acclaimed Channel 4 series, It’s A Sin, into a stage production. Davies himself is returning as an Executive Producer for the show.

To celebrate its 100th anniversary, dance company Rambert announced it will create a new contemporary dance production based on the BAFTA-nominated series about young gay men navigating the HIV/AIDS crisis in London from 1981 to 1991. The production is promised to be a powerful and emotional experience, full of both energy and vulnerability.

Russell T Davies, known for his work on shows like Queer As Folk and Doctor Who, will be Executive Producer on the new series. He’s joined by the acclaimed pop duo Pet Shop Boys – whose hit song from 1987 inspired the show’s title – and producer Glyn Fussell, who is celebrated for creating the Sink the Pink and Mighty Hoopla festivals.

I’m so excited about this new production! Rambert’s artistic director, Benoit Swan Pouffer, is choreographing and directing, and he’s working again with writer Kaite O’Reilly to create a completely original script. The music is going to be amazing too – it’s being composed by Roman GianArthur, who I know from his work with Janelle Monáe on Dirty Computer, and he’s a Grammy nominee! Plus, Luke Halls Studio is doing the set and video design, so it’s going to look incredible. I can’t wait!

Luke Halls Studio’s previous work spans arena tours for Adele, Dua Lipa and Take That.

The show will first launch at Aviva Studios in Manchester, a collaboration between Rambert and Factory International. It will then tour to venues like Wales Millennium Centre, Capital Theatres in Edinburgh, Sadler’s Wells, and Les Théâtres de la Ville in Luxembourg. Details about the actors and specific performance dates will be revealed soon.

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Rambert believes storytelling is central to its work, and the company is eager to share this particular story now. They’re thrilled to be working with Russell, a highly acclaimed storyteller, to bring it to life, as Swan Pouffer explained in a recent statement.

Davies said being able to adapt the story for the stage was a huge honor. The Pet Shop Boys called the original series a groundbreaking work that powerfully showed the impact and sadness of the AIDS crisis to a wide audience.

This performance combines modern dance, historical footage, and film to examine ideas of memory, belonging, and the strength of LGBTQ+ communities. As the dance company Rambert puts it, the piece explores “how we choose to live.”

Critics loved the 2021 series, with Empire magazine calling it a “masterpiece” and praising it as a deeply personal, captivating, heartbreaking, and surprisingly humorous show.

In a review of It’s a Sin, The Irish Times called it a moving depiction of a bygone era for gay culture, while also praising its warmth and the deeply personal touch of its creator, Russell T Davies.

The stage adaptation of It’s A Sin is in the very early stages of development, and more information will be released later in 2024.

It’s A Sin is available to watch on Channel 4

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2026-03-19 12:19