Carrie Hope Fletcher to star in Ballad Lines musical in 2027

Exclusive: WhatsOnStage Award-winner Carrie Hope Fletcher will star in new musical Ballad Lines, which will run at The Other Palace for 12 weeks from April.

The musical, co-created by Scottish songwriter Finn Anderson and director Tania Azevedo, features music and lyrics by Anderson and a book by Anderson and Azevedo. It combines original songs with reworked traditional Scottish, Irish and Appalachian ballads, performed by an all-female band.

Fletcher will play Sarah in the production, which follows its London premiere at Southwark Playhouse Elephant earlier this year. WhatsOnStage gave that premiere run a glowing review. Further casting will be announced in the coming months.

The story follows New Yorker Sarah as she moves into a new apartment with her girlfriend and receives a mysterious box from her late, estranged aunt.

It was originally commissioned in 2018 by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Northwestern University’s American Music Theatre Project. An earlier version, under the title A Mother’s Song, received its world premiere at Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling in 2023.

A 17-track concept album, recorded by a guest cast, was released in September 2025 and has received more than two million streams.

Fletcher said: “I am so excited to be joining the cast of Ballad Lines. I became entranced by the music over social media when it was at the Southwark Playhouse and I remember thinking ‘I want to be in a show like that!’. So getting the opportunity to sing Finn Anderson’s score and tell the story that he and Tania Azevedo have beautifully crafted is really exciting and I just can’t wait to get started!” 

Producers Katy Lipson and Kate Taylor said: “Following the incredible reaction we received at Southwark Playhouse, it is a privilege as producers to bring this brilliant new musical back to London. We saw first-hand how audiences found community and strength in the stories and songs of Sarah and her ancestors unlike any new musical we’ve ever produced.

“Taking the show to The Other Palace allows us to expand the cast, story, design and themes of this mighty musical, and we’re delighted for both returning and new audiences to discover Finn Anderson and Tania Azevedo’s rich and evocative work.”

The creative team includes musical direction by Shonagh Murray, choreography by Tinovimbanashe Sibanda, set and costume design by Diego Pitarch and lighting design by Simon Wilkinson. Eliza Beth Stevens is associate director, Titch Gosling is production manager, RJG Productions is general manager and Jane Deitch is casting director.

Ballad Lines is produced by Lipson for Aria Entertainment and Taylor for KT Producing.

It will run from 11 April to 4 July 2027. Tickets go on sale at 10am today.