Review: BALLAD LINES IN CONCERT, Cottiers

Ballad Lines is a Scottish musical created by Finn Anderson and Tania Azevedo that was originally staged under the name A Mother’s Song. This evening at Cottiers was to celebrate the release of a new cast recording, ahead of the show's run at the Southwark Playhouse in January.

Cottiers is a majestic setting for the evening, with the backdrop of the church behind the band and cast. 

The evening is well structured with Finn Anderson narrating elements of the story to put the songs into context and give you a taste of the full musical. Ballad Lines spans generations and follows three women from the 17th, 18th and 21st century across Scotland, Ireland and New York who are linked by their bloodline. 

The original music is a blend of Scottish, Irish, and Appalachian ballads. The cast for this evening is a dream, featuring Dylan Wood, Kirsty Findlay, Frances McNamee, Parisa Shahmir, Amber Sylvia Edwards, Stephanie MacGaraidh, Craig Hunter, and Melanie Bell. 

The songs are rousing and beautiful, and they tell the story clearly in this concert setting. While they’re all wonderful, the best tracks are the ones that make use of the full ensemble.

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