Key Summary:
- Lifeline connects Alexander Fleming’s penicillin breakthrough to today’s antibiotic resistance crisis.
- Premiering at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, it features real-life pharmacists and healthcare professionals.
- Supported by British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, the show raises awareness of the deadly threat of AMR.
A musical that combines art and science, telling the story of antimicrobial-resistance (AMR), will premiere at Southwark Playhouse Elephant from 28 March to 2 May this year.
Charades Theatre Company presents the musical by Robin Hiley and Becky Hope-Palmer, in this new production, after making history as the first musical presented at the United Nations. It ran at New York's Signature Center in September 2024, where a song was performed at the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Meeting on AMR.
The musical covers the stories of AMR heroes 70 years apart, beginning with Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin in 1950, and his love story with Greek resistance fighter and scientist Amalia Voureka.
The story then moves to present-day Edinburgh, with a junior doctor in crisis, as her estranged childhood sweetheart is rushed to her hospital, after developing a life‑threatening, antibiotic‑resistant infection.
“Lifeline is inspired by real historical events and real voices,” said the Lifeline musical team via their LinkedIn post.
The story emphasises the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Nearly five million people die from diseases related to antibiotic resistance annually.
Pharmacists are a key element of the show. The show’s producers said that pharmacists are "on the frontlines" of responsible antibiotic use and AMR awareness.
Two real-life pharmacists star in the musical - lead pharmacist in emergency medicine, Maria Boltova, who has a Master of Pharmacy degree from University College London (UCL) - and specialist infection pharmacist at Whittington Health NHS Trust, Shay Khan.
“The play explores the human impact of AMR and discovery of penicillin,” wrote Shay Khan in a LinkedIn post about appearing in Lifeline.
He added, “Super proud to be part of a project that combines creativity, public health, and education whilst representing Whittington Health.”
The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC) had praise for the musical, as it tells the story of the AMR workforce, with a cast of real-life healthcare professionals. The BSAC originally funded the show (formerly called The Mould that Changed the World). A study on the original production found children had a better understanding of AMR risks and the dangers of antibiotic overuse.
