Sappho: The Poetess musical workshop to be staged at the Other Palace

A workshop production of the musical memoir Sappho: The Poetess will be staged at the Other Palace Studio.

Written and performed by Hayley Canham (Three Musketeers, On Your Bike) and directed by Hannah Hauer-King (The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs, The Swell), the piece tells the untold story of Sappho, a queer icon and celebrated lyric poet from the Greek island of Lesbos (c. 630 to 570 BCE).

Referred to by Plato as “the Tenth Muse”, she wrote verses about love, longing, friendship and beauty, and her name is credited with influencing the modern term sapphic, although most of her work has survived only in fragments.

Canham commented: “I first read Sappho’s poetry when I was 15 – there’s not much of it after all – and have been in love with her ever since. While writing this show, I’ve tried to stay faithful to what we know about her and I can’t wait to bring this remarkable woman back to life on stage.”

Hauer-King added: “When I first met Hayley, I already knew of Sappho as a lesbian icon of sorts, but what I could never have predicted is how powerfully she could be brought to life through music and theatre. Hayley’s ingenious conception of her as a rockstar and lyricist makes this a story audiences won’t forget. A show not only for existing lovers of Sappho and music enthusiasts, but also anyone who knows what it’s like to dare to be different.”

You can watch the music video for “Burning as One” from the musical below:

Sappho: The Poetess is scheduled to run from Wednesday 29 October to Saturday 1 November 2025.

DEM producers Ramin Sabi and Emily Lunnon said: “Less than one year ago on the judging panel for BEAM, we witnessed Hayley Canham pitch ten minutes of musical theatre that instantly blew us away. Uniquely memorable songs with a performance so captivating and ideas so clear, we’ve never taken on a project so quickly. We’re proud to develop and produce new British musicals, and under Hannah Hauer-King’s exceptional direction, we’re confident audiences of this first workshop production of Sappho will be part of a completely new step in the artform.”

The full creative team will be announced at a later date.