A hit North East play about WW1 women footballers and munitionettes who saved the war effort is to return in March 2027 by popular demand, and iconic Geordie football star Alan Shearer will make a to-camera cameo in the play.
Wor Bella, an exhilarating one-woman play about the role of women in society and the selfless war-time women footballers, has garnered standing ovations after every performance.
The show, which premiered in 2022 and subsequently sold out nine venues in the North East and London before transferring to Newcastle Theatre Royal in 2025, is touring the region in March to celebrate International Women’s Month.
Wisecrack Productions’ Jane Harker said: “We are delighted to be bringing Wor Bella back. The demand is incredible. This will be the third time in only five years it has been produced. It is a terrific story about these forgotten, heroic women.
She continued: “It may be set in 1918 during WW1 but Wor Bella is a timeless story about women’s struggles, which more than 100 years later is still totally relevant.
“During WW1, hundreds of teams were formed nationally and dozens in the North East. This is their incredible story. We want each new generation to know about these fantastic, heroic working class women. I can’t think of a more appropriate story to tell during International Women’s Month.”
The play is told from the viewpoint of “Wor” Bella Reay, the Blyth Spartans centre forward who scored an incredible 133 goals in 30 matches for Blyth Spartans Women in an 18-month period.
Blyth Spartans Ladies achieved cup glory in 1918 and Bella went on to represent England.
Jane added: “Bella Reay has been described as “the Alan Shearer of her day”; a fitting accolade as the former Newcastle and England star makes a to-camera cameo in the play. He’s very supportive.”
Wor Bella was written by Ed Waugh, who also includes the hit shows The Cramlington Train Wreckers, Carrying David and Hadaway Harry in his extensive canon of work.
Wor Bella will tour nine venues in the North East and Cumbria in March 2027, calling at Hexham, Blyth, Gateshead Glasshouse, Carlisle, Barnard Castle, Bishop Auckland, Gosforth and South Shields.
For further details visit www.worbella.co.uk
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
