A cast boasting Frances McNamee, Rebecca Trehearn and Kirsty Findlay is now in rehearsals for the London premiere of Ballad Lines, which opens at Southwark Playhouse Elephant this month.
Co-created by award-winning Scottish singer-songwriter Finn Anderson and director Tania Azevedo, Ballad Lines is described as a heart-opening new folk musical directed by Azevedo, about the stories we inherit and the choices each generation makes to break, reshape, or carry them forward.
The original score weaves together new songs with centuries-old traditional Scottish, Irish, and Appalachian ballads performed live by an all-female band, breathing new life into music that has echoed through generations. The band is made up of Sally Simpson on violin, Isis Dunthorne on drums, Shonagh Murray on keys and Madeline Salter on guitar.
Leading the cast are McNamee as Sarah, Rebecca Trehearn as Betty and Kirsty Findlay, who is reprising her role as Cait from an earlier iteration of the Scottish musical. All three performers also appeared on the Ballad Lines concept album, released in September 2025.
Completing the cast are Sydney Sainté as Alix; Ally Kennard as Jamie, Thomas, Ronan/Dance Captain; Yna Tresvalles as Jean; Gracie Lai as Morna/Ancestor (covers Betty, Alix, Jamie, Thomas, Ronan, Shona); and Siân Louise Dowdalls as Shona/Ancestor (covers Sarah, Cait, Jean, Morna).
A forgotten melody pulls Sarah, a queer woman in New York, into the lives of the women who came before her: Cait, her 17th – century Scottish ancestor, and Jean, a spirited Irish teenager a century later. Across three centuries, they face the same defining question: what does it mean to become a mother and at what cost?
Blending Scottish, Irish and Appalachian ballads with a bold contemporary score, Ballad Lines weaves one family’s hopes, sacrifices and songs across generations.
Under its former title, A Mother’s Song, the musical began in 2014, commissioned jointly by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Northwestern’s American Music Theatre Project. An earlier iteration of the musical received its world premiere in 2023 at Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling.
Ballad Lines is co-written by Finn Anderson and Tania Azevedo, with music and lyrics by Anderson. Completing the creative team are set designer TK Hay, music director Shonagh Murray, choreographer Tinovimbanashe Sibanda, costume designer Carly Brownbridge, costume supervisor Molly Fraser, lighting designer Simon Wilkinson, and sound designer Andy Johnson. Eliza Beth Stevens is the assistant director, James Anderton is the production manager, Kristie Winsen is the general manager and Jane Deitch is the casting director.
The show is lead produced by Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment and Kate Taylor for KT Producing and co-produced with Wolk Transfer Company and TRW Production. An earlier version of Ballad Lines (previously A Mother’s Song) was first produced at Macrobert Arts Centre in 2023 by KT Producing and Macrobert Arts Centre.
Ballad Lines plays Southwark Playhouse Elephant from January 23 – March 21, 2026. Tickets here.
Top image: Kirsty Findlay, Gracie Lai, Frances McNamee, Yna Tresvalles and Sîan Louise Dowdalls in rehearsals for Ballad Lines (c) Pamela Raith Photography (image supplied)