The popularity of women’s football has grown exponentially recently, bolstered by England’s back-to-back European titles. And every good movement has a good origin story behind it. And if you are thinking, “I don’t know anything about football, maybe this one isn’t for me…” then give me a couple of minutes of your time while I try to persuade you otherwise.
I am not a football fan, at all. It’s not something I grew up with, and it all feels a bit alien to me. But I am a fan of women being brilliant, women telling stories, and women supporting and promoting other women, and that is what you get here. The Ladies Football Club, written by Stefano Massini and adapted for this production by Tim Firth, takes us back to the first moments of women’s football.
It is World War I. Most men are fighting on the front line or returning injured. Women are filling jobs in quickly established munitions factories, and they are renegotiating their place in society, in “the system”… and on the pitch. A lunchtime kickabout sparks childhood memories and unexpected joy, and the rest is, in fact, actual history.
Eleven women bring this story to life, and they are a team in the truest sense. Each takes their place in the narration and in the action of the story, just as each has their position on the football pitch. While Violet anchors the story at various points, every character is as unique as the next, and each of their stories are told. The distinctiveness of each woman is seen, heard and felt. The performances are authentic and passionate, and at times, genuinely moving. Every woman in the cast is equally deserving of a mention.
Jessica Baglow (Rosalyn), Leah Brotherhead (Hayley), Lesley Hart (Berenice), Bettrys Jones (Olivia), Ellie Leach (Brianna), Clair Norris (Melanie), Anne Odeke (Justine), Krupa Pattani (Cheryl), Cara Theobold (Violet), Chanel Waddock (Penelope), Charley Webb (Abigail), Joy Adeogun (Swing) and Jamie Randall (Swing).
We know that football isn’t just about the players on the pitch though, is it? Here, set and costume (Grace Smart), video projections (Joe Ransom), lighting (Ben Jacobs), movement (Scott Graham), and direction (Elizabeth Newman) all work well together to lift the performers and to keep the energy of the piece high throughout – incidentally for just a smidgen longer than a standard football match. The movement was particularly clever; because after all, how do you tell a story about football on a thrust stage when you can’t actually kick the ball around.
Disappointingly, there were a couple of moments when the sound wasn’t as clear as it could have been, particularly when the performers were competing with escalating sequences of music and sound. And at points, I felt like I needed to run to catch up with the pace of the storytelling. That said, it certainly evoked the feeling of being at a match and not being able to fully catch every word from commentators or friends.
This is a story built on the true history of more than 100 teams of women playing football around the country during World War I, often raising thousands of pounds for charities supporting the war effort. This is a story of resilience and determination, of identity and passion. A story of women daring to do and daring to be. A story of the unifying force of sport, and the power of a dream. It may not be the FA Cup final, but it is absolutely worth the price of a ticket!
The Ladies Football Club continues at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield until Saturday 28th March. More details and ticket information can be found on the website: https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/. Accessible performances are listed on the booking website.
Reviewer: Jo Tillotson
Reviewed: 10th March 2026
North West End UK Rating: