A bold new musical theatre show exploring the history of female football and celebrating its dashing culture will be performed at the Studio Venue, Bradford Theatres on 21-22 August.

Set in Preston, Lancashire, against the backdrop of The Great War, the story reveals the triumphs, heartbreaks and sacrifices of the amazing women behind the Dick, Kerr Ladies Football Club. Drawing crowds of 60,000 people to their matches, this group of WWI munition workers were not only the leading lights of women’s football but were also pioneers of social change during and after the First World War.

The musical is commissioned by British Youth Music Theatre, the UK’s leading musical theatre organisation for young people, who specialising in bringing together exceptionally talented young performers and West End theatre professionals to create new innovative and ground-breaking work.

Director Charlotte Westenra (Old Vic, The Arcola Theatre): “After a very long wait I’m thrilled to be back working with the exception BYMT company creating a totally original, devised new music with the talents of Vikki Stone, Victoria Saxton and a company of bright and brilliant young women. OUR GIRLS OUR GAME celebrates the power of collective female endeavour.”

Writer Victoria Saxton: “Charlotte Westenra heard about the incredible Dick, Kerr Ladies a few years ago. We got the young BYMT cast year to all pick a member of the football team and do a little bit of research on them. It's always hard when adapting something based on a real life, historical event as you can get lost in the history, quite literarily, and also your research and wanting to be as true as possible to what really happened. At some point you have to let go of that and remember you're putting a story on stage so you honour the intention, and take what works best for a piece of drama.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

We've decided to use the structure of an actual football match to tell this story. We start on their famous 1920 Boxing Day Match, which attracted crowds of over 50,000 - including 14,000 waiting outside trying to get int (somewhat reminiscent of recent England matches!) - and then we flash back to how they started etc.”

She continues: “During WWI women's football was actually quite prolific. A lot of the munition factories had female football teams who were positively featured in the press at the time and toured all over the country. They'd sell out Stamford Bridge and some of the girls became celebrities. One player, Lilly Parr, scored more goals in her lifetime than Messi and Ronaldo combined! The FA Ban set women’s football back about 50 years and this is heart-breaking.”

“BYMT is, I believe, one of the largest commissioners of new British musical theatre in the UK. It's an incredible way for writers to work on their craft and create new pieces and new collaborations. We've essentially written a full musical in 10 days, a process that would probably take 6 months to a year for a first draft if we were doing it normally. We're excited about the piece having a further life, getting produced and licensed.”

One of young participants Tilly Thomson, 17, from Derby, Derbyshire says: “I feel so empowered by all the girls in the cast and I can’t wait to perform for the first time since COVID””

From an exceptional young company of emerging talent, comes this empowering and uplifting musical exploring the enduring power of female friendship and what happens when women work together.

Don’t miss out, book your tickets now: https://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/whats-on/british-youth-music-theatre-our-girls-our-game