Northern Ballet’s Gentleman Jack – Sheffield Lyceum

A bold Yorkshire life brought to the stage through dance

Acclaimed for their emotionally rich storytelling, Northern Ballet returns to Sheffield with Gentleman Jack — a powerful new ballet inspired by the extraordinary true story of Anne Lister.

Known as Gentleman Jack, Anne Lister was a fiercely independent Yorkshire woman who lived, dressed and loved on her own terms in the 19th century. It was only after her death, when her secret coded diaries were decoded, that the full scale of her remarkable life was revealed.

From secret diaries to the Lyceum stage

Anne’s journals chronicle her adventures, ambitions, heartbreaks and triumphs with striking honesty and wit. Her story has since inspired biographies, novels, a hit television series — and now this thrilling new ballet production.

Choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and performed to new live music by Peter Salem, Gentleman Jacktransforms Anne’s words and world into movement, passion and power.

This production captures:

• Defiance and desire

• Social constraint and personal freedom

• Love lived boldly in a society determined to suppress it

Creative team

• Choreographer: Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

• Composer: Peter Salem

• Dramaturg: Clare Croft

• Lighting & Set Designer: Christopher Ash

• Costume Designer: Louise Flanagan

• Creative Consultant: Sally Wainwright

Gentleman Jack is a co-production with the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, bringing international scale and ambition to this deeply Yorkshire story.

Audience & access information

• Age guidance: 12+

• Accessible performances available

🎟 Tickets & full details:
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/northern-ballet-gentleman-jack