Here Lies Love David Byrne and Fatboy Slim rock musical to open at the National in October

The National Theatre will open its renamed and reformed Cottesloe as the Dorfman Theatre)  in October with Here Lies Love which is a new rock musical about Imelda Marcos, former first lady of the Philippines along with the woman who raised her (Estrella Cumpas)  until she and her family were forced to leave the Philippines

The show charts the rise of Ferdinand Marcos and his wife to the tune of a disco beat.  It has been created by former Talking Heads front man David Byrne and  DJ Fatboy Slim. The acclaimed New York production ( it has just returned to the Public Theatre for a second run) will again be directed by Alex Timbers.

The title of the concept album and musical is taken from a comment made by Imelda Marcos during a visit to her husband Ferdinand Marcos's embalmed body when she said that  she would like the phrase "Here Lies Love" to be inscribed on her tombstone.

Byrne has incorporated speeches made by Marcos and his wife into the lyrics of his songs with the action set in a disco that constantly changes shape, dancers moving around raised adjustable platforms with the audience standing and moved around as the set is transformed.  The set is surrounded by two dozen TV screens filled with footage and facts on politics in the Philippines.