An all-new musical is about to hit the stage with a unique blend of Scottish folk sounds, real-life science heroes, and heartfelt stories.
Lifeline, featuring music and lyrics by Robin Hiley and a book by Becky Hope-Palmer, will make its London debut at Southwark Playhouse Elephant from March 28 to May 2, 2026.
Directed by award-winning Alex Howarth, known for Cassie And The Lights and We Live By The Sea, this production combines a West End and Broadway cast with a live six-piece band and a rotating chorus of real doctors, nurses, and scientists on stage each night.
Drawing inspiration from the life and work of Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming – the pioneer behind penicillin – Lifeline explores the ripple effect of one world-changing discovery and the critical threat of antimicrobial resistance.
The show intertwines two love stories separated by seventy years: Fleming’s post-war romance with Greek scientist Amalia Voureka, and a present-day Edinburgh junior doctor, Jess, confronting both personal heartbreak and the global health crisis on her hospital ward.
Making up the cast are Alan Vicary, Maz McGinlay, Nathan Salstone, Kieran Brown, Helen Logan, Robbie Scott and Kelly Glyptis, with an ensemble including Hannah Visocchi, Jasmine Jules Andrews and Graham Richardson.
Fresh from making history as the first musical ever performed at the United Nations in 2024 and after two sold-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe (as The Mould That Changed The World), Lifeline is set to bring a new perspective on the power – and fragility – of modern medicine.
Composer Robin Hiley said: “Almost a century since the discovery of penicillin, and 80 years since Sir Alexander Fleming’s Nobel Prize address, his early warnings about antimicrobial resistance have never felt more prophetic. This timely musical is a celebration of the everyday people who make the extraordinary happen – and a heartfelt love letter to the medical community: past, present and future. I hope audiences will be entertained, uplifted and feel connected to these real-world stories.”
Every performance will feature a chorus of medical professionals and scientists, making each night one-of-a-kind:
Week 1: Agata Sirek, Alicia Scheffer Wong, Daniel Brayson, Mainga Bhima, Nazneen Rahman, Olivia Bracken, Patrick Holmes, Roisin Healy, Ryo Kuno, Shay (Shehryar) Khan, Sian Gaze, Solen Marqueste
Week 2: Alicia Demirjian, Alisha Dua, Amanda Johnson, Aimée Mutambo, Baktash Khozoee, Lilley Bridges, Lisa Newbull, Maximillian Woodall, Pol Vandenbroucke, Rhian Newbull, Sophie Taylor, Zachary Cohen
Week 3: Ashley Brown, Babs Kell, Callum McLean Anderson, Caragh Dougan, Cara Patel, Celine Driessen, Isra Husain, Lucy Handscomb, Maia Phillips, Mustafa Moroglu, Nurin Abdul Aziz, Sahar Knight
Week 4: Cecilia Longoni, Madeleine Anderson, Madeleine Oliver, Maria (Marsha) Boltova, Oliver Waterhouse, Sarah Harpaz, Seif Shaheen, Shannon Guild, Sophie Feary, Success Ajayi, Suzie Rawcliffe, Zoe Carmichael
Week 5: Anna Long, Cecilia Ashu, David McKinney, Eleri Davies, Hannah Lucey, India-Mai Jardine, Lucy Brunton, Melissa Foyle, Michael Dixon, Michael Du, Sara Davison, Tim Watson
The creative team also includes set designer Abby Clarke, costume designer Alice McNicholas, choreographer Leanne Pinder, lighting designer Matthew Craigen, and sound designer Paul Smith.
For tickets, visit southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
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