Pepper’s Ghost announce local cast & student production team for football drama Not A Game for Girls

'Not A Game For Girls’, written by Benjamin Peel, tells the dramatic story of the Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C - one of the most famous and successful women’s football teams during the First World War - so popular The Football Association tried to ban them.

Helping to create a pitch-perfect production are four students from Milton Keynes College who will work alongside the production team experiencing first-hand the work that goes into producing great theatre.

The production uses a mixture of real-life and fictional characters and blends drama, songs, and choreographed games to capture the spirit and camaraderie that led the Dick, Kerr’s Ladies to ignore the prevailing social attitudes from both genders and prove most emphatically that they were wrong to dismiss football as ‘Not A Game For Girls’.

Produced and directed by Rosemary Hill, with Shahnaz Hussain as Musical Director and Carly Halse as Movement Director, this production brings together a wealth of experienced theatre professionals and practitioners, community theatre regulars, and the next generation of theatre artists.

Rosemary Hill says: “At Pepper’s Ghost we strive to create and celebrate the arts within our community and provide exciting platforms for those who find joy in performing and want to tread the boards and those who are interested in theatre and production.”

The local cast includes Alex Forni (Alfred Frankland), Eoin Brown (Jack Holmes), Nathan Chinery (Herbert Stanley), Rosemary Ndeh (Florrie Redford), Jasmine Bromme (Lily Parr), Vienna Graham (Alice Stanley (nee Woods)), Maddy Saleh Brown (Jessie Walmsley), Belle Brewster (Betty Williams), Anmol Ishania (Daisy Walker), Daniela Tiscenko (Madelaine Ourry), Tracie Tappenden (Mrs Woods), Susan Lee Burton (Mrs Parr), John Golden (Len Williams), Michael Henshall (Fred), Faisal Mohiuddin (Minister) and Annette Probert (Woman in Church).

Chelsea Nathan completes the cast as an ensemble player.

The production is stage-managed by Michael Rawlinson and Pippa Rawlinson, and features set design by James Smith, costume design by Susan Lee Burton, lighting design by James Tearle, and sound design by Elliot Willis.

Production students from Milton Keynes College include Riley Andrews, Walter Lam, Freesia Phillips and Chelsea Nathan, with MK College Tutor & Work Experience Co-ordinator Colin Bloxham.

Also on the team are Observer Charlotte Green and Football Consultant Tom Raynor.

Rosemary Hill continues: “The story of the Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C is a very important and inspirational one to tell. Without these strong and determined women would women’s football be as high profile as it is today? Possibly not. We have a lot to thank these ladies for.

“Bringing this part of history to our local stage with a local and young cast and team is incredibly exciting. This is the fourth time that this play has been produced and we’re looking forward to kicking off rehearsals.”

Tickets to ‘Not A Game For Girls’ at Stantonbury Theatre from 16th – 19th May can be purchased directly via the Stantonbury Theatre website - http://www.stantonburytheatre.co.uk/whats-on/all-shows/not-a-game-for-girls/17520/