Areet, love — pull up a seat, because Sheffield Theatres are properly lacing up their boots this spring and I’m very much here for it.
To mark the world premiere of The Ladies Football Club at the Crucible, they’re rolling out something called Extra Time — and it’s exactly what it sounds like. Not just a night at theatre, but a whole run of free, get-stuck-in activities happening across February and March, celebrating the women who kicked doors down, boots on, long before it was fashionable.
The play itself is a bit of a dream team. Written by Stefano Massini (aye, that one — The Lehman Trilogy), adapted by Tim Firth (Calendar Girls, if you’re humming already), and directed by Sheffield Theatres’ own Artistic Director Elizabeth Newman. It runs at the Crucible from Saturday 28 February to Saturday 28 March 2026 — and it’s rooted right here in Sheffield soil.
Now, Extra Time is where it gets lovely. It’s all free, it’s open to everyone, and it’s about bringing folk together — whether you fancy a gentle kickabout, a bit of drawing, a natter, or just listening to some proper stories.
Here’s what’s coming up:
• Football in the Square (Saturday 21 March)
Following on from Dancing in the Square and Singing in the Square, this one’s exactly what it says on tin. A morning of activities where anyone can have a go, have a kickabout, and remember football’s meant to be fun — not just shouted about on telly.
• A public exhibition in the Crucible foyer
A proper look back at the rich, often forgotten history of women’s football in Sheffield. Photos, stories, and a reminder that this city’s always had strong women with strong legs.
• A listening post project
Voices from Sheffield communities and partner groups sharing personal memories and moments where the beautiful game really mattered to them. Expect heart, pride, and probably a lump in your throat.
• Our Home Teams
Running alongside the usual Unlocking schools programme, this is a creative collaboration with community partners to design football chants and scarves — celebrating team spirit and togetherness in the run-up to the show. Honestly, I love this idea. Scarves make everything feel official.
• In Conversation: Elizabeth Newman & Scott Graham
Elizabeth Newman sits down with Scott Graham (Artistic Director of Frantic Assembly and Movement Director on the show) to chat about blending physical movement with storytelling — especially when sport and theatre collide. Ideal for theatre-makers, teachers and creatives who like their stories told with a bit of muscle.
• A life drawing session inspired by The Ladies Football Club
All skill levels welcome. The model’s clothed in costume, there’ll be drawing tips shared around the room, and stories about the costumes themselves. Very “art school meets match day”.
• Free talks with Sheffield Home of Football
A deeper dive into the archives of women’s football, packed with stories of graft, passion and stubborn determination across a century of pushback. There’ll also be city centre walking tours exploring Sheffield’s women’s football history, for those who want to dig even deeper.
And then there’s the play itself.
The Ladies Football Club takes us back to World War I, when men are sent to the front line and women step into the factories, making bombs and bullets. On their lunch breaks, they start kicking a football about — and before anyone quite realises what’s happening, they’re filling pitches, drawing crowds of over fifty thousand, and proving they can hold their own just as well on grass as they can on factory floors. All the while, something’s coming that threatens to blow the whistle on it all.
It’s history, it’s sport, it’s theatre — and it’s Sheffield through and through.
The Ladies Football Club runs at the Crucible from Saturday 28 February to Saturday 28 March 2026. Tickets are on sale now via Sheffield Theatres’ Box Office — in person, online, or by phone on 0114 249 6000.
Extra Time events are free to attend, and you can find full details over at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.
This feels like one of those moments where theatre spills out into city, and the city gives it a hug back. And that, my loves, is when Sheffield’s at its very best.
The Ladies Football Club | Sheffield Theatres
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