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History

March 2011

On March 14 a double-CD of the music from the ballet The Most Incredible Thing is released under the name Tennant/Lowe. It contains the full performance score of the ballet with orchestrations by Sven Helbig.

2011 March

On March 17 the ballet The Most Incredible Thing has its first public performance at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London. Its genesis can be traced back to a week in where, by chance, two initially unrelated events took place. Ivan Putrov, a principal dancer at the Royal Ballet whom the Pet Shop Boys had got to know through Sam Taylor-Wood, called Neil to ask whether they would write a piece for him to dance to. Two days later, before Neil had even had a chance to ask Chris, Chris called to say that he’d just read a story in a new translation of Hans Christian Andersen’s tales that he thought would make a great ballet: “The Most Incredible Thing”. This eventually led to the Sadler’s Wells production, choreographed by Javier de Frutos and starring Ivan Putrov, Clemmie Sveaas and Aaron Sillis. All ten performances sell out.

May 2011

On May 27 the Pet Shop Boys appear at the Sunderland Stadium of Light, joining Take That at their invitation as “special guests” on their first reunion concerts as a five-piece on what will be the biggest British tour ever – 29 British stadium shows – followed by a short European leg. “45 minutes of intensity,” says Chris.

December 2011

On December 31 the Pet Shop Boys appear at a New Year’s Eve concert on an island in Sydney Harbour.

History

On this day

1987

Chris and Neil are winding up a three-week stint in South London and Clacton filming It Couldn’t Happen Here.

1994

The Pet Shop Boys perform in Mexico City for a second night.

2006

Continuing their post-touring vacation, Neil and Chris enjoy an evening as spectators at a Mexican wrestling match at the Monterrey Coliseo.

2009

The Boys perform in Thessaloniki, Greece.

2010

Neil and Chris are interviewed on Matthew Rudd’s Q Radio show, during which records by other artists selected by them are also played. The most delightful surprise to this writer? — Bob Lind’s big 1966 folk-pop hit ‘Elusive Butterfly.’

2011

London department store Fortnum & Mason unveils their 2011 Christmas window decorations. The store’s creative director, Paul Symes, tells an interviewer that this year’s display is inspired by the Pet Shop Boys’ music video for ‘What Have I Done to Deserve This?’ He points out, ‘We’ve been very careful to stay on the glamorous side and not stray into anything seedy.’

2014

The Boys are in Punta Del Este, Uruguay in preparation for their concert there the following evening.

2015

As noted a few days later on their official Facebook page, Chris and Neil pay a backstage ‘surprise visit’ this evening ‘before the final curtain call’ to the cast of the revival of their musical Closer to Heaven at London’s Union Theatre.

2017

The Boys are in Berlin. Today they work on a new song, ‘Only the Dark,’ after which they visit an electrical shop called Saturn.