Northern Ballet’s production has been choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY GUY FARROW
Yes, you read that headline right. Anne Lister’s iconic life has been turned into a full-length ballet, coming to the stage in March.
Titled Gentleman Jack, Northern Ballet’s new production will tell the story of Anne Lister, commonly dubbed the “first modern lesbian”. The 19th century icon has been inspiring sapphics for centuries after her diaries were uncovered and decoded. From keeping locks of her lovers’ pubes to living as her bold, fiercely independent self, she’s nothing short of a trailblazer.
Choreographed by the multi-award-winning Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Gentleman Jack’s majority female artistic team includes Sally Wainwright, series-writer for the wildly popular BBC series Gentleman Jack. Starring Suranne Jones as Anne Lister, the show has become pivotal viewing material for sapphics around the world.
Northern Ballet’s new retelling will focus on Anne’s two great loves – Ann Walker and Mariana Lawton. Annabelle has worked closely with dance theorist and historian Clare Croft to create a story which is faithful to the historical material whilst also capturing Anne’s life from a modern lens.
Gentleman Jack will see its world premiere in March 2026 in Leeds, before going on tour to Sheffield, Nottingham, London, Norwich, Salford and Bradford.
Northern Ballet’s Artistic Director, Federico Bonelli, said: “Anne was a complex character, her inimitable life and revolutionary attitude towards sexuality and her viewpoint on class and politics is something we are dedicated to representing on the stage and we look forward to sharing our interpretation of this legendary woman with audiences.”
Gentleman Jack is a co-production of Northern Ballet and Finnish National Opera and Ballet.
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