Photos: THE LADIES FOOTBALL CLUB at Sheffield Theatres

Sheffield Theatres have released production images for the major world premiere production of The Ladies Football Club by Stefano Massini (The Lehman Trilogy), adapted by Tim Firth (Calendar Girls). The production is now playing at the Crucible Theatre through until Sat 28 Mar 2026 directed by Sheffield Theatres Artistic Director, Elizabeth Newman with movement by Frantic Assembly’s Scott Graham. Check out photos below!

One of the must-see new plays of 2026, The Ladies Football Club comes to the stage from the Tony Award-winning writer of the West End and Broadway hit, The Lehman Trilogy, Stefano Massini in a new adaptation by BAFTA and Olivier Award-winner of the global phenomenon, Calendar Girls, Tim Firth. In this exciting piece of storytelling, The Ladies Football Club is a powerful story of friendship and community directed by award winning Elizabeth Newman, Artistic Director of one of the UK’s most prestigious national producing powerhouses, Sheffield Theatres. Tony and Olivier Award nominated Artistic Director of Frantic Assembly, Scott Graham will create the movement for the production, sharing his unique signature craft of storytelling through movement. With its roots firmly set in Sheffield, this new play is a universal story brought together by some of the leading forces in contemporary theatre.

The cast includes Jessica Baglow (Gentleman Jack) as Rosalyn, Leah Brotherhead (Hullraisers) as Hayley, Lesley Hart (Shetland) as Berenice, Bettrys Jones (The Buddha of Suburbia) as Olivia, Ellie Leach (Coronation Street) as Brianna, Clair Norris (EastEnders) as Melanie, Anne Odeke (Princess Essex) as Justine, Krupa Pattani (Mr Bates vs The Post Office) as Cheryl, Cara Theobold (Downton Abbey) as Violet, Chanel Waddock (Othello) as Penelope, Charley Webb (Emmerdale) as Abigail. Joy Adeogun (Romeo and Juliet) and Jamie Randall (The House Party) will perform as Swings for the production.

With World War Iforcing men onto the front line to fight, the women of Sheffield take their place in the factories, constructing the bombs and the bullets.

When they start kicking a football around on their lunch breaks, it soon becomes clear that it’s not just positions on a factory floor these women can fill; it’s on the football pitch too. Finding unexpected strength through their new passion and teamwork they end up playing to crowds of over fifty thousand, all the time unaware something is looming that will blow the whistle on their beautiful game.

The creative team are Writer Stefano Massini, Adaptor Tim Firth, Director Elizabeth Newman, Designer Grace Smart, Movement Director Scott Graham, Lighting Designer Ben Jacobs, Sound Designer Ella Wahlström, Video Designer Joe Ransom, Composers Ella Wahlström, Tim Firth and Steve Parry, Casting Director Juliet Horsley, Associate Director Ben Occhipinti, Associate Sound Designer Pierre Flasse, Assistant Director Flo Gill and Additional Musical Arrangements & Recording Steve Parry.