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Name
LIFELINE
INVESTMENT PROSPECTUS
A new musical with global advocacy, public health relevance, and an existing international platform.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION BEYOND AUTHORISED RECIPIENTS.
The content of this promotion has not been approved by an authorised person within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Reliance on this promotion for the purpose of engaging in any investment activity may expose an individual to a significant risk of losing all the property or other assets invested.
This document is private and confidential and is for private circulation only to the named recipient.
Introduction
Executive Summary
LIFELINE is a new musical built around one of the defining public health challenges of the modern era: antimicrobial resistance. The work connects Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin with present day patient stories gathered by the producers from around the world. It is both a theatrical property and a public conversation piece, designed to reach audiences through music, story, advocacy, education, and live performance.
The project has already travelled significantly. It has sold out twice at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, played Off-Broadway at Signature Theatre on West 42nd Street, performed on the floor of the United Nations General Assembly, and been presented at the UK Houses of Parliament, the Vatican, in Barbados for Prime Minister Mia Mottley, and at events in Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Kuala Lumpur.
The current investment opportunity is being framed around staged development. The project is expected to move through workshops, development, and a future run, with budgets currently retained as holding figures pending receipt of updated LIFELINE budgets. This deck preserves the existing investor structure, legal position, and financial mechanics for now, with show-specific budget replacement to follow.
Why This Project
LIFELINE has a rare combination of theatrical authorship, international advocacy relevance, and direct institutional history. Its subject matter is urgent, but the show is not a lecture. It uses music and human stories to translate a complex global threat into something legible, emotional, and immediate.
The production has already demonstrated its ability to operate in cultural, political, and civic spaces. The next phase is to convert that credibility into a disciplined commercial and development structure, with clear staging milestones and investor reporting.
The Journey So Far
LIFELINE is a two-time Edinburgh Festival Fringe sell-out, in 2018 and 2022. It ran Off-Broadway for 5 weeks at Signature Theatre on New York’s West 42nd Street in Autumn 2024, during which time it became the first ever musical to perform on the floor of the United Nations General Assembly.
LIFELINE has also been showcased across the globe with concert performances taking place at the UK Houses of Parliament, in Barbados for Prime Minister Mia Mottley, at the Vatican in Rome, along with events in Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Kuala Lumpur. Earlier versions of the show, under the title The Mould that Changed the World, toured to the east coast of the USA in 2022, Glasgow in 2022, and London in 2018.
The show underwent significant redevelopment in 2023 to become LIFELINE, incorporating numerous modern day patient stories that the producers had collected from around the world. A concept album of the reinvented show was released on New York City based Center Stage Records in July 2024. The album features a cast of original cast members, friends from Broadway, and chorus members from both the UK and USA.
Two-time Edinburgh Festival Fringe sell-out, establishing the property before its wider international development.
5-week Off-Broadway run at Signature Theatre on West 42nd Street in Autumn 2024.
Presented at the United Nations General Assembly, UK Houses of Parliament, the Vatican, and events across multiple international territories.
What Is AMR?
Five million people a year die from illness linked to antibiotic resistance.
It just might be the biggest threat to humanity you have never heard of.
Antibiotics are drugs used to treat infections caused by bacteria and only bacteria. In the past 80 years they have saved millions of lives. Antibiotic resistance, a type of antimicrobial resistance, is a natural process allowing bacteria to evolve defences that render our drugs less effective. If antibiotics were used sensibly, only when they were really needed, there might be enough time to halt the spread of resistance through the population and develop new drugs to fight infection.
Unfortunately, antibiotics are overused to treat infections that might improve by themselves, infections caused by viruses, and they are even used to fatten animals raised in the meat industry. This overuse has led to the creation of superbugs, bacteria that are resistant to most or all of the antibiotics used against them.
These resistant bacteria are now linked to about 5 million deaths globally every year. Without urgent action, this number is only going to rise.
The Theatrical Function
LIFELINE gives AMR a human frame. The show uses music, historic discovery, and present day patient stories to make the science emotionally comprehensible without reducing it to campaign messaging.
The commercial strength of the piece sits in this balance. It is issue-led, but it is not dependent on a single news cycle. It has educational, institutional, philanthropic, and theatrical routes into audiences.
A Note From Professor Dame Sally Davies
LIFELINE Patron, Professor Dame Sally Davies
When I was a practising doctor, antibiotics were one of the most precious tools I had to treat patients. The most frightening thing was when the antibiotic would not work and those dreaded words, “there’s nothing more we can do” had to be uttered.
Today, I am the UK government’s Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance. I have made it my mission to work with governments around the world to say, there is something we can do.
Almost a century on from Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin, his discovery has transformed medicine and saved millions of lives. We use antibiotics to treat sepsis and meningitis; they save the lives of cancer patients, they make childbirth safe for mothers and babies, and they make operations and transplants something of a routine.
But antibiotics becoming less effective is a crisis facing us today and in the future. The choices the world makes today about the responsible use of antibiotics, innovation, and access will determine whether Fleming’s legacy endures. All of us as individuals have a role to play too, including when and how we wash our hands to prevent the spread of infections to begin with.
This is why LIFELINE matters. Theatre and music remind us that tackling societal issues is not only about science or political will, but about all of us, how we act, what we value, and what we choose to protect.
The power of LIFELINE was clear when it was performed at the United Nations General Assembly in 2024. The lyrics about inequity and antibiotic pollution made diplomats sit up and realise what was at stake, and what they could do to make a difference. In that moment, it moved the issue of antimicrobial resistance from policy declarations and scientific papers into something real, felt, understood, and brought close to home.
My heartfelt thanks go to the production team, and to the healthcare workers, scientists, and veterinarians who have joined LIFELINE on stage and shared their stories so generously. They will say that they are just ordinary people doing their day job. But, like Alexander Fleming, it adds up to something extraordinary.
I hope this evening stays with you and inspires action long after the final song.
Project Stages
Focused workshop activity to test revised material, casting, musical architecture, and the balance between historic Fleming narrative and present day patient stories.
A structured development period to refine the book, score, design language, audience proposition, and institutional partnership route.
A future staged run to test the production commercially, build audience data, and position the work for a longer life beyond the first presentation.
Current Deck Position
The current budget, recoupment, and ROI sections are retained as holding assumptions from the existing deck structure. They should be treated as placeholders until new LIFELINE budgets are uploaded and entered. The investment terms, legal framework, and investor structure have been retained for continuity.
People
ROBIN HILEY
COMPOSER, LYRICIST & LEAD PRODUCER
Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Robin is a composer, lyricist, and theatre producer. As the Artistic Director and CEO of Charades Theatre Company, he has overseen both the creative and administrative development of LIFELINE.
Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Robin is a composer, lyricist, and theatre producer. As the Artistic Director and CEO of Charades Theatre Company, he has overseen both the creative and administrative development of the musical LIFELINE, most recently staged in New York at Off-Broadway’s Signature Theatre in late 2024.
LIFELINE, originally a 2-time Edinburgh Fringe sell-out in 2022 and 2018, has also toured to Washington DC, Atlanta, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Rome, Kuala Lumpur, and Barbados, and is the only musical to perform on the floor of the United Nations in New York.
Robin’s music has reached audiences across the globe through LIFELINE. He is currently working on various new projects, including a new musical inspired by Macbeth, continuing his collaboration with LIFELINE book writer Becky Hope-Palmer.
JESS CONWAY
LEAD PRODUCER
Jess has been a Lead Producer on LIFELINE since its inception in 2018. As well as being a co-creator of LIFELINE, she has helped to shape both the message and vision of the show.
Jess has been a Lead Producer on LIFELINE since its inception in 2018. As well as being a co-creator of LIFELINE, she has helped to shape both the message and vision of the show and the direction of Charades Theatre Company as an international touring organisation.
She has worked as a producer and marketing manager with many of Scotland’s top arts organisations and is currently Recordings Manager for Delphian Records. Jessica is also an international mezzo soprano soloist and consort singer, touring regularly to Italy and Norway, and around the UK.
BECKY HOPE-PALMER
BOOK WRITER
Becky is a Scottish theatre director and writer from Edinburgh. She trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and was formerly Resident Trainee Director at the Lyceum Theatre.
Becky is a Scottish theatre director and writer from Edinburgh. She trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and was formerly Resident Trainee Director at the Lyceum Theatre.
Directing credits include Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas at Birmingham Rep, The Penelopiad at RCS, Letters to Our Future Government at Traverse Theatre, The Steamie at Dundee Rep, Salty at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Emilia at Leeds Conservatoire.
As a writer, her debut play Seven Against Edinburgh premiered at the Lyceum Theatre in 2022. She has been the book writer for LIFELINE since 2023 and is delighted to continue her writing collaboration with Robin on future projects with Charades Theatre Company.
The Producers
DARREN BELL
PRODUCER
Darren Bell is a three-time winner and six-time nominee at the WhatsOnStage Awards and has built a reputation for producing solo concerts, musicals in concert, and the development of new stage adaptations.
Darren Bell is a three-time winner and six-time nominee at the WhatsOnStage Awards and has built a reputation for producing solo concerts, musicals in concert, and the development of new stage adaptations. His work as a published photographer brought him into the heart of the theatre world, and by 2015 he expanded his creative pursuits to producing.
Specialising in showcasing Broadway and West End talent, Darren has produced concerts featuring Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Chita Rivera, Jeremy Jordan, Megan Hilty, Tituss Burgess, Shoshana Bean, Hannah Waddingham, Cynthia Erivo, Alan Cumming, Ariana DeBose, Michael Ball, Kelli O'Hara, Alex Newell, Sharon D. Clarke, Laura Benanti, Matthew Morrison, and Jamie Muscato.
His production credits include Bonnie & Clyde in Concert starring Jeremy Jordan, Something Rotten! starring Jason Manford, Evita featuring Auli'i Cravalho, Oklahoma! starring Phil Dunster, and the WhatsOnStage Award-winning Love Never Dies in Concert starring Norm Lewis.
SAM QUESTED
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Sam has worked in the theatre industry for nearly 12 years, building a wide-ranging career producing and general managing across the West End, national and international tours, and concert productions.
Sam has worked in the theatre industry for nearly 12 years, building a wide-ranging career producing and general managing across the West End, national and international tours, and concert productions. His theatre credits include Burlesque the Musical, Midnight Cowboy: A New Musical, Bonnie and Clyde, Rock of Ages, The Last Five Years, Curtains, and The Wedding Singer.
In addition to theatrical productions, Sam has general managed concerts in many of the West End’s leading venues. These have featured Audra McDonald, Ariana DeBose, Alan Cumming, Stephanie J. Block, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Megan Hilty, Jeremy Jordan, Shoshana Bean, Chita Rivera, Laura Michelle Kelly, Laura Benanti, Sierra Boggess, Kelli O'Hara, Caissie Levy, Keala Settle, Jessica Vosk, Rachel Tucker, Jordan Luke Gage, Jamie Muscato, and Lucie Jones.
He has also managed concerts of Zorro, Cinderella, and the Tori Amos musical The Light Princess. His work further encompasses staged concert productions, with credits including Bonnie and Clyde, Oklahoma! in Concert, Evita, Something Rotten! in Concert, and Love Never Dies.
QUBE THEATRICALS
GENERAL MANAGER
QUBE Theatricals is an executive producer and general management company specialising in concerts, musicals in concert, and theatre productions across the West End, national and international tours, and one-night-only events.
QUBE Theatricals is an executive producer and general management company specialising in concerts, musicals in concert, and theatre productions across the West End, national and international tours, and one-night-only events. Founded by Sam Quested and Darren Bell, QUBE combines over 2 decades of experience delivering award-winning musicals, world-class concerts, and landmark staged events.
Financial Dashboard
Financial Information
This production is currently shown using holding budget figures pending receipt of updated LIFELINE-specific budgets. The holding production is capitalised at £263,246, comprising £183,957 of pre-production costs and £64,090 of reserves, which incorporate deposits, VAT, contingency, and the cost of the first full running week.
Weekly running costs are currently held at approximately £25,629. The projected break-even point in this holding model is approximately 74.11% capacity. This should not be treated as the final LIFELINE financial position until the new budgets are supplied and entered.
The Producers currently anticipate an estimated UK Theatre Tax Relief claim of approximately £56,507 within this holding model. All budgets and schedules are illustrations based on current placeholder information.
Investments are typically offered in units of £25,000, with fractional units and lower tier amounts available at the Producers' discretion.
Darren Bell will act as Co-Producer and Co-General Manager of the production via QUBE Theatricals. QUBE Theatricals will receive a £15,000 general management pre-production fee and a £1,000 per week running fee, both of which remain accounted for in the current holding model.
Key Investor Actions
All figures are for illustrative purposes only and are not a forecast or prediction. The figures are holding assumptions until the LIFELINE budgets are uploaded.
Investor Structure
Prior to recoupment, 100% of the net surplus of the production available for distribution shall be applied to the repayment of Physical Production Capital. Such repayments shall be distributed pari passu to Investors in proportion to their respective subscriptions.
Following full repayment of Physical Production Capital, all further distributable receipts shall constitute Net Profits. Net Profits shall be allocated 60% to Investors, distributed pro rata, and 40% to the Producers.
Investor funds are held and applied through the Lead Producers' producing entity. A full participation agreement will outline distribution procedures, reporting schedules, and investor communications.
Investment Structure
The £263,246 investment or a percentage thereof will be contributed by Darren Bell and its investor group, forming part of the total production capitalisation.
Investors joining via Darren Bell will participate pro rata in 60% of the Lead Producers’ entitlement, including recoupment and profit participation.
Worked Example
By way of illustration only, if the Lead Producers’ share of Net Profits totals £100,000 in net profit, the investor group collectively receives £60,000, distributed pro rata to each investor’s contribution.
Investor Benefits And Tiers
100% repayment of capital prior to recoupment, followed by a pro rata share of 60% of ongoing net profits.
3 pairs of tickets to the official opening performance.
Priority access to premium house seats.
A dedicated biography feature in the official show brochure, subject to tier billing.
Investment Tier Comparison
| Tier | Availability | Billing | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-Producer | Available for investments over £40,000 | 2nd line order of investment size | 60% Terms |
| Associate Producer | Available for investments of £20,000 | 3rd line order of investment size | 60% Terms |
| Standard Terms | Available for investments below £20,000 | No title billing | 60% Terms |
Transfer, Accounting, And Tax Notes
Future transfer and rollover position
This investment is made solely into the specific production vehicle capitalising the current development and production stage described in this document. In the event of a future commercial transfer, investors are granted a conditional first right of refusal to roll over or reinvest unrecouped capital, returned capital, or earned profits. This right is strictly contingent upon the financial structure, allocation limits, and ultimate approval of the lead producers controlling the subsequent run.
Final accounting and distributions
Due to the limited run nature of the production, final recoupment and any investor distributions will be determined following full completion of the production's final closing accounts, including full and final receipt of any Theatre Tax Relief claim.
Tax note
All figures are for illustrative purposes only and are not a forecast or prediction. The producer is not qualified to give tax advice and investors should note that the tax implications of making an investment will differ depending upon the investor's individual circumstances. Potential investors are strongly recommended to seek their own independent advice on their tax position prior to applying to invest.
Budget Summary
Pre-Production Costs
| Development & Advances | £5,000 |
| Creative Fees | £22,500 |
| Production Staff | £30,165 |
| Rehearsals & Salaries | £26,367 |
| Tech Charges | £14,125 |
| Physical Production | £33,250 |
| Admin, Legal, Insurances | £24,800 |
| Theatre Costs | £3,750 |
| Marketing & PR | £29,000 |
| Subtotal Pre-Production Costs | £183,957 |
| Contingency | £9,198 |
| Total Pre-Production Costs | £193,155 |
| Total Development & Pre-Production Costs | £198,155 |
| Venue Deposit | £18,000 |
| VAT Provision | £21,462 |
| 1 Week Operating Reserve | £25,629 |
| Total Capitalisation | £263,246 |
| Estimated UK TTR [40%] | £56,507 |
| Total Recoupable Costs | £141,648 |
Weekly Operating Costs
| Salaries | £10,479 |
| Physical | £3,950 |
| Theatre Costs | £7,600 |
| Marketing & Advertising | £1,550 |
| Fixed Fees | £0 |
| Admin & Management | £1,050 |
| Weekly Royalty Minimums & Fees | £1,000 |
| Subtotal Operating Costs | £25,629 |
Holding Budget Note
This section is deliberately retained as a placeholder pending updated LIFELINE budget uploads. Replace these figures once the workshop, development, and run budgets are finalised.
Recoupment
Weekly Gross Box Office Potential
Total Weekly Operating Costs
Total To Recoup
LIFELINE Holding Recoupment Chart
| Pre Recoupment | 100% | 90% | 85% | 80% | 75% | Break Even 74.11% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats to sell | 14,632 | 13,169 | 12,437 | 11,706 | 10,974 | 10,844 |
| Gross Box Office Receipts | £71,894 | £64,704 | £61,110 | £57,515 | £53,920 | £53,281 |
| VAT | £11,982 | £10,784 | £10,185 | £9,586 | £8,987 | £8,880 |
| CC & Ticket Commissions [3%] | £2,157 | £1,941 | £1,833 | £1,725 | £1,618 | £1,598 |
| Net Box Office Receipts | £57,755 | £51,979 | £49,091 | £46,204 | £43,316 | £42,802 |
| Royalties @ 100% of NET | £3,793 | £3,314 | £3,074 | £2,834 | £2,595 | £2,552 |
| Weekly Operating Surplus | £53,962 | £48,666 | £46,017 | £43,369 | £40,721 | £40,250 |
| Weekly Operating Costs | £25,629 | £25,629 | £25,629 | £25,629 | £25,629 | £25,629 |
| Merchandise | £6,000 | £5,400 | £5,100 | £4,800 | £4,500 | £4,447 |
| Weekly Operating Profit | £34,333 | £28,437 | £25,489 | £22,541 | £19,592 | £19,068 |
| Total Producer Recoup Value | £255,044 | £211,244 | £189,344 | £167,444 | £145,544 | £141,648 |
| Total % Recouped | 180.05% | 149.13% | 133.67% | 118.21% | 102.75% | 100.00% |
| Post Recoupment Profit | £113,396 | £69,596 | £47,696 | £25,796 | £3,896 | £0 |
| Weeks To Recoup | 4.13 | 4.98 | 5.56 | 6.28 | 7.23 | 7.43 |
This chart is retained as a holding model and should be replaced with LIFELINE-specific recoupment figures when the revised budget is supplied.
Interactive ROI Calculator
Capitalisation: £263,246 | Pool: 60%
Your Estimated Return Profile
Your pro rata equity ownership: 9.497%
| Box Office Capacity | Total Post-Recoup Profit | Your Share of Profit | Total Est. Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100% | £113,396 | £6,461.50 | £31,461.50 |
| 90% | £69,596 | £3,965.70 | £28,965.70 |
| 85% | £47,696 | £2,717.80 | £27,717.80 |
| 80% | £25,796 | £1,469.90 | £26,469.90 |
| 75% | £3,896 | £222.00 | £25,222.00 |
| 74.11% Break Even | £0 | £0.00 | £25,000.00 |
These figures are strictly estimates based on the holding financial model. Theatrical investment is inherently risky and actual returns may vary significantly.
Important Legal Information
YOU MUST READ THIS PAGE
PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL
Disclaimer
Neither the Producer nor any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, employees, agents, advisers, or representatives make any representation, warranty, indemnity, or undertaking, express or implied, regarding the truth, accuracy, or completeness of the information contained in this document or any other document or communication supplied to any recipient at any time. No responsibility or liability of any kind is accepted by the Producer or any of its Affiliates for any information, statement, opinion, or omission contained herein, or for any loss or damage arising from or in connection with this document or reliance upon it.
Nothing in this document, including any illustrative financial projections, constitutes a profit forecast or a guarantee of future performance. The projections are provided for illustrative purposes only and merely indicate potential outcomes based on certain assumptions. No representation or assurance is given by the Producer or its Affiliates as to the future performance or success of the matters described herein.
Key Risk Factors
1. Inherent Risk: Theatrical production is an inherently risky business. Contributions to the production will involve a higher level of risk than most other financial transactions and there is no probability, but only a possibility, that investors will get back the amount which they invest.
2. Production Costs: Most production costs are incurred prior to opening and will be paid from contributed funds. If the production does not open or fails to proceed, the Producer shall return to contributors, on a pro rata and pari passu basis, any remaining net assets of the production, if any, as determined by the production's certified accountant.
3. Transferability: A contribution to the production is not transferable without the Producer's prior written consent. Once an investment is committed and cleared funds are received, it is final and cannot be withdrawn, redeemed, or cancelled at the Investor's discretion.
4. Private Distribution: This document is for private distribution only and the only person who may enter or offer to enter into any agreement for contributing on the basis contained in this document is the person to whom it is addressed and to whom it has been sent by the Producer.
5. Limited Recourse: Investors have no rights against the Producer's assets other than those connected to the production itself. Investments are not protected by any compensation scheme.
6. Corporate Structure: The production will be operated through a dedicated Special Purpose Vehicle incorporated as a UK limited company.
7. Fluctuating Income: Income from an investment in the production will vary depending on box office performance.
8. Suitability: The opportunity described in this document may not be suitable for all recipients. Prospective investors are strongly advised to seek independent advice from a financial adviser authorised under FSMA and experienced in theatre and entertainment investments.
9. Cancellation: If for any reason the production fails to open, is cancelled, or having opened fails to attract sufficient audiences, investors may not receive back their contributions.
10. Uninsured Losses: The Producers may not obtain insurance for the production that includes cover in respect of the impact on the production of Covid-19, any variant, any similar virus, or other uninsured interruption events.
Rights And Scope Of Investment
Investment in the production is limited strictly to the capitalisation of the specific production described in this document and does not confer any ownership interest in, or entitlement to receipts from, any subsequent licensed productions, tours, transfers, revivals, or other exploitations of the work, save as expressly set out in any agreed rollover provisions. Investors shall have no financial participation in any licensing income or producer royalties arising from future productions of the production unless expressly agreed in writing.
The Producer and the licensed creatives maintain full artistic and operational autonomy. An investment is strictly financial in nature and confers no rights of approval, veto, or consultation regarding the selection, hiring, or termination of creative personnel, production staff, crew, casting, artistic decisions, stylistic decisions, or creative decisions involving the development or presentation of the work.
Exemption Under Section 21 Of FSMA
This communication is made in reliance on Articles 48, 49, 50, and 50A of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended. The Company and Producers are entitled to rely on investor self-certification and are not required to verify eligibility beyond receipt of a valid signed declaration. This document is exempt from the general restriction in Section 21 of FSMA on the communication of invitations or inducements to engage in investment activity, on the grounds that the Recipient is, and will be treated as, a person described below.
High Net Worth Individuals under Article 48 of the FPO may qualify where they meet the relevant income or net asset thresholds. Self-Certified Sophisticated Investors under Article 50A of the FPO may qualify where they meet the required experience, network, professional, or directorship conditions.
This document and its contents are strictly private and confidential. They may not be copied, reproduced, published, or disclosed to any third party without prior written consent. Any person uncertain about the investment described in this document should seek independent advice from an authorised financial adviser under FSMA who specialises in investments of this nature.
READY TO INVEST
OR HAVE QUESTIONS?
Please contact Darren Bell directly to discuss this opportunity in detail or to request the full legal participation pack and application forms.
Email Directly darren.bell@dbce.ukLIFELINE PRODUCTION ENTITY DETAILS TO BE CONFIRMED