Carrie Hope Fletcher will play Sarah when Ballad Lines returns to London at The Other Palace in 2027. Finn Anderson and Tania Azevedo’s musical follows a woman discovering family histories through her late aunt’s audio tapes. Scottish, Irish and Appalachian ballads join contemporary songs performed by an all-female band, following an earlier Southwark Playhouse Elephant run.
Carrie Hope Fletcher will lead the London return of Ballad Lines, playing Sarah at The Other Palace theatre. The musical runs from April 11 to July 4, 2027, following its previous London premiere at Southwark Playhouse Elephant. Further casting has yet to be announced. Fletcher’s earlier musical theatre credits include Heathers, Waitress and Les Misérables.[1], [2]
Sarah is a New Yorker moving into an apartment with her girlfriend when a box arrives from her late, estranged aunt. Its audio tapes reveal the lives and songs of women in her family. Scottish songwriter Finn Anderson wrote the music and lyrics, combining Scottish, Irish and Appalachian ballads with contemporary songs. An all-female band performs the score. Anderson co-wrote the book with Portuguese director Tania Azevedo.[1]
The project began with a joint commission in 2018 from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Northwestern University’s American Music Theatre Project. An earlier version, called A Mothers Song, premiered at Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling, Scotland, in 2023. Shonagh Murray leads the music for the new production, Tinovimbanashe Sibanda supplies choreography and Diego Pitarch designs sets and costumes.[1]
