The Ladies Football Club Review: an empowering debut scores big in Sheffield
- Jack Davey
- 14 hours ago
- 3 min read
05 March 2026 I 19:00 I Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite
The beautiful game has been well-acquainted with the stage in recent years, including James Graham's Dear England and Tyrell Williams' Red Pitch. But rarely do we see these stories told through an all-female cast. Elizabeth Newman (asst. Flo Gill) directs a stylish debut at the Crucible Theatre, grounding the importance of ensemble and women's solidarity.
Originally written by Stefano Massini and adapted by Tim Firth, audiences are taken back to 1910s Sheffield at the height of World War I. Men are forced to fight on the front line, as women work in the factories, constructing the bombs and bullets. Kicking a football around on lunch breaks soon takes them to crowds over fifty thousand, as this semi-biographical story takes a refreshing stance on women, both in sport and wider society.
Viewers are introduced to the factory by Violet (Cara Theobold), who grew up playing the sport on her street. Theobold offers Violet's perspective across the show to give narrative context, whose assured delivery is warm and engaging, immediately understanding that we are in safe hands.
While the tone of the production is socially empowered, Firth & Massini's script revels in both humour and vulnerability. The audience, at times, rather turn into football supporters, bellowing with laughter and even applauding a number of lines. You don't see that energy very often!
One of The Ladies Football Club's greatest strengths is its diverse cast (Juliet Horsley CDG). All of the eleven onstage women present different physical demographics, but also unique in vocal texture, accent and physicality. I can only imagine how crucial this is for young girls in the audience, to see women that represent them exclusively. No-one in the cast has authority, as a well-balanced drama gives voice to the working-class woman.
Influenced by the factory setting and brutalist architecture of Sheffield, Grace Smart's geometric design is characterised by a harsh concrete wall that imposes over the action. Her costume design compliments the monochrome aesthetic with grey overalls, slowly revealed to have colourful shirts underneath as a statement of emerging from male expectation. Not to be boxed in 'grey' stereotypes.
Past football plays have been criticised for their lack of action, however you can expect a highly physical company at work here! The matches are played in three ways, firstly like a real game, then through a series of physical theatre lifts (Scott Graham of Frantic Assembly) proving great trust in one another, passing the ball in slow motion akin to the Hamilton bullet. The final match is riveting, as the cast run between light-up tiles on the floor (lighting designs by Ben Jacobs), capturing slick action-shots in all their glory.
A performer's first lines are often the most important, as Anne Odeke's Justine is pitch perfect, storming emasculating one-liners. I fear she could simply breathe and have the audience chuckling, the funniest bones in the business! And there is a lot to enjoy in Leah Brotherhead's fiery character Hayley, whose impassioned speeches on socialism have an important resonance with gender politics in the 21st century.
Comprised of two 'halves' of 45 minutes and 6 minutes of 'extra time', an emotional epilogue reminds us of the munionettes' historical impact on women's football today. Without these incredible pioneers, we may not have the Lionesses so cherished in Britain today. Using sport as a vehicle for feminist resilience, Elizabeth Newman proudly continues her stride as Sheffield Theatre's Artistic Director. The Ladies Football Club asks to be seen internationally, and I shall be telling everyone about this play.
Tickets & Information: https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/the-ladies-football-club
