World premiere of major new folk musical A Mother’s Song at Stirling

Macrobert Arts Centre is the only place you can see this new Scottish folk musical

The major new folk musical A Mother’s Song will have its world premiere at Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling from February 23 - 26. Spanning 400 years, from 17th century Stirling to 21st century New York City, it follows three remarkable women and the incredible journey of Scottish folk music across the Atlantic.

Ambitious transatlantic musical A Mother’s Song: A New Folk Musical spans centuries and continents and has been co-created by award-winning Scottish composer Finn Anderson, whose smash hit Edinburgh Festival Fringe musical Islander (London, NY off Broadway Seoul), with award-winning director Tania Azevedo.

Moving from 17th century Stirling to 21st century New York City, it follows three remarkable women at different moments in history and traces the incredible journey of Scottish folk music across the Atlantic.

Exploring themes of identity, motherhood and choice, it follows stories of the generations of women who came before Sarah, a long line of Scots-Irish ballad singers who settled in the Appalachian mountains. Sarah has severed ties with her past and is ready to start afresh with her girlfriend in modern-day New York but a box left to her by Sarah’ late Aunt Betty reveals tireless research into the family’s ballad-singing tradition. The lives of two women in particular speak to Sarah, both on the verge of motherhood, both carried songs on their journeys from Scotland and 18th century Ulster, Cait and Jean.

This ambitious new musical spans centuries and continents and traces the incredible journey of Scottish folk music across the Atlantic

In Stirling in 1609, Cait and her minister husband are trying for their first child, while amongst the Scots Ulster community of the 1700s, fiery teenager Jean finds herself pregnant after a brief fling with a sailor and faces a risky decision. Sarah becomes obsessed with the choices and challenges both women faced, and their stories bring to the surface her own desires to start a family. As the ghosts of Sarah’s ancestors begin to take over the apartment, Sarah moves towards life-changing decisions.

Scottish music around the world

Co-creator Finn Anderson said: “Over the five years spent developing this show, I’ve become fascinated by the migration of Scottish ballads and folk music, and the stories wrapped up in the journey of these songs. Music is a portal to learning about how people have travelled over time, and how different cultures have impacted one another.

“With this show, we wanted to highlight the lasting impact Scottish music has had around the world, and also to weave traditional songs together in a contemporary story, to bring a fresh perspective to some of the ballads.”

Co-creator Tania Azevedo said: “When we started writing this show in 2018, we wanted to tell a story about what we carry forward from those who came before us.

“Through the journey of the songs, the show explores motherhood and how the idea of choice is a relatively recent privilege, which hasn’t necessarily been afforded to all our ancestors. In the four years since we began developing this show, the issue of women’s agency over their bodies has become increasingly pressing. It feels like a key time to be telling this story.”

Award-winning stars

The show reunites Finn with his two Islander leads, as The Stage Award nominee Bethany Tennick stars as Sarah and Olivier Award nominee Kirsty Findlay stars as Cait.

They are joined by Melanie Bell, from Ben and Noisemaker as Aunt Betty, Blythe Jandoo, from Sunshine on Leith and The Maggie Wall at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Tinashe Warikandwa from The Steamie at Dundee Rep, plus Craig Hunter, from Local Hero at Chichester Festival Theatre and RENT.

Featuring a score of new songs

A Mother’s Song: A New Folk Musical features a score of brand new songs alongside new arrangements of traditional Scottish and Appalachian ballads – including The Four Marys, Let No Man Steal Your Thyme and Say Darlin’ Say. With musical direction and live piano by Shonagh Murray, who recently worked on blockbusting Six the Musical, the show features an all-female live band. Band members include fiddle player Laura Wilkie, who played with Kinnaris Quintet and Rachel Sermanni. On percussion is Signy Jakobsdottir, who played with Karine Polwart, Capercaillie and Hen Hoose, as well as Jenny Clifford, from The Joy Hotel, on guitar.

‘Sarah’s Song’ from the show is out now as a digital single and an EP of new music from the show will be released digitally on January 27.

Both Finn and Tania add: “After five years of development, we are over the moon to be sharing the first professional production of A Mother’s Song in February, working with a world-class group of actors, musicians and artists.”

A Mother’s Song: A New Folk Musical is produced by Macrobert Arts Centre and KT Producing, with funding from Macrobert and Creative Scotland.

Julie Ellen, Macrobert Arts Centre CEO and Artistic Director, said: “Supporting artists and the creation of top-quality middle-scale performance is vital to the future of theatres around Scotland. So, it’s an absolute delight to be working with the brilliant A Mother’s Song creators in this way, making it possible to share this exceptional story with our audiences.

“Its deep Stirling story roots and its international music connections make Macrobert the perfect partner for A Mother’s Song. We know it’s going to be special.”

A Mother’s Song was originally developed with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and American Music Theatre Project.

Book tickets now

Tickets are on sale now for A Mother’s Song: A New Folk Musical, from February 23 - 26 February at 7.30pm at the Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling.

To book tickets click here.

For more details see www.macrobertartscentre.org or call 01786 466666.