Wor Bella

Friends of Wisecrack

WHO ARE WE?

Wisecrack is a North East based-production company that produces work to make you think, and laugh! Working class history is not documented, so we try our best to help in a little way.

Written by Ed Waugh

Directed by Russell Floyd

Starring Lauren Waine

Having scored theatre gold with their collaborations on Hadaway Harry, Carrying David and The Great Joe Wilson (now a book of plays called Geordie Plays: Volume One), South Shields-based writer Ed Waugh and director Russell Floyd team up again to bring to life the incredible story of WWI women's football.

When men were called up in 1916 after slaughter in the trenches, women flooded into the munitions factories and saved the war effort. Despite their dangerous jobs and long hours these heroic Munitionettes also played football to raise money for wartime charities.

Teams were formed throughout the country, including many dozens in the North East - playing in front of crowds ranging from 4,000 to 22,000 people!

A novelty at first, these selfless women soon forged competitive, skilful sides and superstars emerged. The top team in the region was the unbeaten Blyth Spartans Ladies, and Bella Reay was their free-scoring superstar. With 133 goals in 30 matches , Wor Bella was the Alan Shearer of her day.

With no leagues, and matches deemed to be "friendlies", what made the North East unique was that 30 teams competed in a knock-out competition for the Alfred Wood Cup.

Wor Bella is the story of Blyth Spartans Ladies' remarkable Munitionettes' Cup victory in May 1918.

For more info on Wor Bella click here.