Lauren Ward stars as Scottie in Beautiful Little Fool, a new musical inspired by the lives of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald. The show premieres at Southwark Playhouse Borough in early 2026.
With music and lyrics by Hannah Corneau and a book by Mona Mansour, the production is directed by Michael Greif and promises a sweeping, jazz-infused score that brings the Fitzgerald legacy to life.
Beautiful Little Fool runs from 15 January to 28 February 2026 at Southwark Playhouse Borough. Book tickets here.
You’re starring in Beautiful Little Fool at Southwark Playhouse Borough, what can you tell us about the show?
It’s an exploration of the relationship between Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, who were the rock stars of their time.
The show has a modern edge, and I love the juxtaposition of Hannah’s score with this idea.
What drew you to the role of Scottie and what excites you most about playing this character?
“Excites” might not be the right adjective for me on this. I felt there was a truth to the writing.
There are parallels to my life and childhood which resonate with me deeply. It explores what it is to be the child of chaos—to parent your parents and be their carer.
The complexity of surviving within a crazy world which is your normal, and coming out the other side intact and still full of love and hate, but mostly love and understanding.
There is an innate honesty to Mona’s script that I appreciated and believe. It’s a tough subject for me personally.
The musical explores Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald through their daughter’s eyes, how does that perspective shape the story?
It shapes the story a lot by honouring Scottie’s complex feelings about her parents, especially her mother, who was not always honoured by biographers and historians.
Scottie was protective of Zelda.
How has working with director Michael Greif and this creative team influenced your approach to the role?
Michael, Mona, and Hannah have been living with this story much longer than I have, as they have been writing it and figuring it out for a few years now. I trust them.
Mona and I both love doing research, so we have shared things we have discovered. They asked me last spring to be a part of this, so I have had a lot of time to immerse myself in all the literature that’s out there about these very famous people.
I love learning, so I just approach every day like a day of discovery when it comes to these people and this script and story.
The concept album has already been released – do you have a favourite song from the score and why?
I think the album is so cool it’s hard to pick just one.
But Zelda’s song Built to Last, sung by Hannah, kills me every time. There’s so much in her lyrics.
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see Beautiful Little Fool?
I’d say, don’t miss it. Hannah Corneau is not only a fantastic actress, singer, and performer, but she is a rock star—and she wrote the lyrics and music.
It’s going to be exciting to see and hear. We have an exceptional cast and group of creatives and designers working on this show, all doing it because it’s really good.
It’s going to be great at Southwark. The theatre is perfect for it. I think if you’re in the audience you will be witnessing something special and unique.
