‘Lehman Trilogy’ Writer Stefano Massini’s ‘The Ladies Football Club’ Unveils Cast for Sheffield Premiere

The U.K.’s Sheffield Theatres has unveiled the ensemble cast for the premiere of “The Ladies Football Club,” written by Tony Award winner Stefano Massini and adapted by Tim Firth.

The production marks a reunion of heavyweight theatrical talent, with Massini bringing his storytelling prowess from “The Lehman Trilogy” and Firth applying his craft honed on the global hit “Calendar Girls.” Sheffield Theatres artistic director Elizabeth Newman will helm the production, with Frantic Assembly’s Scott Graham choreographing movement.

The cast features Jessica Baglow (“Gentleman Jack”) as Rosalyn, Leah Brotherhead (“Hullraisers”) as Hayley, Lesley Hart (“Shetland”) as Berenice, and Bettrys Jones (“The Buddha of Suburbia”) as Olivia. Ellie Leach (“Coronation Street”) will play Brianna, with Clair Norris (“EastEnders”) as Melanie, Anne Odeke (“Princess Essex”) as Justine, and Krupa Pattani (“Mr Bates vs The Post Office”) as Cheryl.

Rounding out the ensemble are Cara Theobold (“Downton Abbey”) as Violet, Chanel Waddock (“Othello”) as Penelope, and Charley Webb (“Emmerdale”) as Abigail. Joy Adeogun (“Romeo and Juliet”) and Jamie Randall (“The House Party”) will serve as swings.

Set during WWI, the play chronicles Sheffield factory workers who form a women’s soccer team during lunch breaks while men fight overseas. The story traces their rise to playing before crowds exceeding 50,000 spectators, before facing forces that would ultimately shut down their burgeoning sport.

“The cast and creatives coming together for ‘The Ladies Football Club’ bring extraordinary imagination, rigor, and heart to a story that demands to be seen and heard now,” Newman said. “It honors the courage and collective spirit at the root of the history of women’s football [soccer], while pushing boldly into the present.”

Massini added: “This is what my play is about: a moment in time when a group of women, while their husbands were away fighting at the front, took the ball and made women’s football history.”

Firth described the adaptation challenge as creating “a play that was a football match: told as much in movement as in words by eleven players who never leave the field, who support each other, fight each other and discover a passion for something forbidden.”

The creative team includes designer Grace Smart, lighting designer Ben Jacobs, sound designer Ella Wahlström, video designer Joe Ransom, and composers Wahlström, Firth and Steve Parry. Juliet Horsley serves as casting director.

The production runs at the Crucible Theatre from Feb. 28 through March 28.

Sheffield Theatres has produced multiple award-winning productions that transferred to the West End and internationally, including “Life of Pi,” “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,” and “Standing at the Sky’s Edge.”