In March 2026, Northern Ballet will unveil the world premiere of its new full‑length production, Gentleman Jack, launching a nationwide tour. The ballet brings to life the story of 19th‑century trailblazer Anne Lister, a proud Yorkshirewoman often described as the “first modern lesbian,” who lived, dressed, and loved on her own terms, defying the expectations of her era.
The production will open in Leeds before travelling to Sheffield, Nottingham, London, Norwich, Salford, and Bradford.
Following Lister’s death, her coded diaries were uncovered and deciphered, revealing a bold, passionate, fiercely independent businesswoman whose life was marked by a refusal to conform and an unyielding capacity for love.
Her extraordinary story has inspired numerous biographies, novels, and a successful television series. Now, in Northern Ballet’s first major commission since 2021 – and its first under Artistic Director Federico Bonelli – her life is brought to the stage through dance.
Northern Ballet’s Artistic Director, Federico Bonelli, said:
Since we announced Gentleman Jack, we have been blown away by the intense anticipation shown for this new ballet. Creating something entirely new is always exhilarating and this time we have the added excitement of creating a portrait of a real person through the choreography and storytelling, it’s a real honour for the whole creative team.
The work is by multi-award-winning choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa with Dance Artist and singer/songwriter Jemima Brown (Choreography Consultant) as part of a majority female artistic team that also includes Sally Wainwright, who wrote the BBC/HBO TV series Gentleman Jack. The ballet will be performed to live music composed by Peter Salem.
Annabelle has done an incredible job to really push the boundaries of classical ballet – to communicate the passion between Anne Lister and two of her great loves, Ann Walker and Mariana Lawton, through dance. It’s everything that Northern Ballet represents – a story rooted in the North, but which will resonate with audiences all over the country as both timeless and contemporary.
Anne was a complex character; her inimitable life and revolutionary attitude towards sexuality and her viewpoint on class and politics are something we are dedicated to representing on the stage, and we look forward to sharing our interpretation of this legendary woman with audiences.
Lopez Ochoa has worked closely with dramaturg, Clare Croft – a dance theorist and historian, [author of Jill Johnston in Motion: Dance, Writing, and Lesbian Life] to create a story which sees Anne Lister through a modern lens. The production draws on elements of Anne’s adult life as depicted in her own journal, following her experience as she defies conventions of the times as both a female landowner and businesswoman, whilst navigating the complexities of queer love and societal expectations. This includes her passionate and often painful love affairs with women, including Mariana Lawton – thought to be the true love of her life – to finding a life partner in Ann Walker, a relationship cemented in what’s thought to be Britain’s first recorded lesbian wedding.
The ballet features set and lighting design by Christopher Ash and costumes by Louise Flanagan, who has drawn on inspiration from the 1830s as well as lesbian and queer dress in modern fashion to create a contemporary feel to the period dress.
Alongside the creation of Gentleman Jack, Northern Ballet’s Learning Team will launch a comprehensive schools education program, exploring themes of identity, allyship and compassion, drawing inspiration from Scottish Ballet’s Safe to Be Me program. By supporting young people to challenge prejudice, celebrate diversity and express themselves, Northern Ballet hopes to make a lasting impact.
Gentleman Jack is a co-production of Northern Ballet and Finnish National Opera and Ballet.
Tickets are now on sale, visit northernballet.com/gentleman-jack to find out more and book.
Each venue will offer an audio-described performance to improve accessibility for those with visual impairments.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.