★★★★
If you are a fan of folk musicals, Finn Anderson and Tania Azevedo’s new show ‘Ballad Lines’ has just opened its doors in London and found a home in the off-West End venue Southwark Playhouse Elephant until March. With themes of ancestry, motherhood and what it means to have choice over a woman’s body, the musical has been on quite the journey, with early ideas starting in 2017 and the show originally titled ‘A Mother’s Song’. After all of this time it is exciting to see ‘Ballad Lines’ make its London debut, with a narrative that is sure to resonate with women of all ages.
About the show
The story centres on thirty-something Sarah (Frances McNamee) who has recently bought her first apartment with girlfriend Alix (Sydney Sainté). As they are unpacking, the pair notice a vintage box from Sarah’s estranged Aunt Betty (Rebecca Trehearn) who recently died. Sarah wants to donate the box to a local charity collection point but Alix suggests that she mull on it for a short time before giving it away. When Sarah starts to sift through the items, Aunt Betty’s research opens a door to the past and she learns of how her Scots-Irish ancestors shaped her life today. Ballad songs and music have been carried down through the generations, taking them back to 17th-century Scotland and 18th-century Ireland.
Strength in the score
The score and underlying rhythms are where this musical soars, with Scottish, Irish and Appalachian sounds rooted in Finn Anderson’s songs. The score combines original music with folk songs and from the very first notes of ‘Prologue’ I was wowed by this fusion of new-meets-old. Every song carries the emotional weight of the story, highlighting the significance of decisions made and how much it impacts the future. ‘Words Are Not Enough’ and ‘Change of Plan’ were my personal highlights, and have been on repeat ever since.
Thoughts on the narrative
Even though Sarah is the clear protagonist, there are multiple leading characters and this is where I would like to see the narrative develop. ‘Ballad Lines’ features various strong women who each have their own challenges to deal with, and with the non-linear storytelling, the narrative jumps backwards and forwards from the past to the present. It is carefully done, taking audiences through each character’s story in line with developments in Sarah’s life, but I found myself wanting to learn even more about the ancestral line from Cait and Jean to Aunt Betty and Sarah. This would help to more solidly connect the dots between the past and present, bringing even more cohesion to the narrative. Furthermore, Aunt Betty and Sarah’s relationship was clearly fractured, and the audience gets to see some detail on this in the second act, but this could be explored more thoroughly given how pivotal their connection is to the narrative.
A powerful new folk musical
Blending folk music, incredible harmonies and a thoughtful story that transcends the generations, it will certainly leave audiences wondering about their own ancestors and the people that came before them. You can catch the show in London until 21st March, with tickets available via the theatre’s website. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to see this new musical at an intimate London venue.
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