Madelaine Nunn's W Will Debut at The Old Fitz Theatre

In the second act of the Old Fitz Theatre's 2026 program, New Ghosts Theatre Company will present the world premiere of W, a new Australian play by award-winning playwright Madelaine Nunn, powered entirely by women and non-binary artists. Performances run 29 May - 14 June.

Set inside the high-pressure world of AFLW and pulling back the curtain on the lived realities of elite female athletes, W tracks a women's football team across a defining season as they fight their way toward finals. Fast-paced, funny, and emotionally charged, the play offers an intimate and unflinching look at women's sport at a critical turning point - where bodies are pushed to their limits, relationships are tested, and legacy is anything but guaranteed.

Offering a rare theatrical deep dive into the world of AFLW at a pivotal moment for women's sport in Australia, W is more than a sports story. Blending sharp humour with raw vulnerability, W confronts the collision between ambition, the pressure to start a family, and the costs women must bear to pursue greatness. It interrogates ideas of choice and legacy, drawing striking parallels between the physical demands placed on elite athletes and the societal pressures surrounding reproductive timelines - the ever-present, ticking clock.

“Rach and I have been wanting to do this show since meeting in a cafe in Melbourne 5 years ago and 2026 is our year! W champions strong, complex female characters spotlighting the grit, ambition and sacrifices that women make every day, let alone to achieve their dreams. It's a work that is candid, funny and unashamedly Australian. You don't have to like sport to like this play.” - Madelaine Nunn, Playwright

Directed by Rachel Chant, W is brought to life with urgency and precision, capturing both the visceral intensity of the game and the deeply personal stakes beyond the field.

“It's an honour to be walking in the world of the AFLW, and playing with characters who have built that world, are fighting and thriving within it, and are both benefitting from the incredible work of their predecessors whilst building the future of the sport for the next gen. There are so many parallels between elite sportspeople and those working the arts, and in a country in which sport and theatre are often seen as opposing cultures, it's exciting to be able to smash the two together.” - Rachel Chant, Director

The production features an exceptional ensemble cast - multi-award-winning Danielle Cormack (Wentworth), Celeste Cortes-Davis, Edyll Ismail (Send Help), Ally Morgan (Girl Crush), Shannon Ryan, and Grace Smibert - offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience some of Australia's most exciting performers up close in the intimate confines of Sydney's smallest dedicated theatre.

Presented as part of NGTC's IGNITE Collective - a women-led, inclusive initiative bringing together theatre-makers from across the country to champion new, women-driven stories - W continues the company's commitment to bold, female-led storytelling. With an all women and non-binary cast and creative team, the production marks the seventh IGNITE Collective work since its founding, contributing to more than thirty roles created for women performers.

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