W: This New AFLW-Inspired Play Kicks Off In Sydney This May

A new play diving headfirst into the bruising and brilliant world of women’s footy is set to take over Sydney’s Old Fitz Theatre next month – and it’s shaping up to be as fierce off the field as it is on it.

A raw, funny and unflinching look inside AFLW

Premiering as part of the venue’s 2026 program, W is the latest work from award-winning playwright Madelaine Nunn, bringing audiences deep into the high-pressure world of the AFLW.

Set across a defining season, the play follows a women’s football team pushing toward finals, capturing the physical toll, emotional stakes and complex relationships that shape elite sport. It’s described as fast-paced, funny and emotionally charged – but also deeply intimate, pulling back the curtain on what it actually costs to chase greatness.

“Rach and I have been wanting to do this show since meeting in a cafe in Melbourne 5 years ago and 2026 is our year!” Nunn said.

“W champions strong, complex female characters spotlighting the grit, ambition and sacrifices that women make every day, let alone to achieve their dreams. It a work that is candid, funny and unashamedly Australian. You don’t have to like sport to like this play.”

Where sport, identity and pressure collide

Beyond the locker rooms and training drills, W digs into bigger questions – from ambition and legacy to the very real pressure many women face around fertility, family and time.

The play draws a sharp parallel between the physical demands placed on athletes and the societal expectations surrounding reproductive timelines, positioning AFLW players at the centre of a much broader cultural conversation.

Director Rachel Chant says the production also blurs the lines between sport and art in a way that feels distinctly Australian.

“It’s an honour to be walking in the world of the AFLW, and playing with characters who have built that world, are fighting and thriving within it, and are both benefitting from the incredible work of their predecessors whilst building the future of the sport for the next gen,” Chant said.

“There are so many parallels between elite sportspeople and those working the arts, and in a country in which sport and theatre are often seen as opposing cultures, it’s exciting to be able to smash the two together.”

W: A production powered by women & non-binary people

In a theatre landscape still grappling with representation, W stands out for being powered entirely by women and non-binary creatives, both on stage and behind the scenes.

The production is presented by New Ghosts Theatre Company’s IGNITE Collective, a women-led initiative focused on championing new, inclusive Australian stories and creating opportunities for underrepresented voices.

With a cast including Danielle Cormack, Celeste Cortes-Davis, Edyll Ismail, Ally Morgan, Shannon Ryan and Grace Smibert, the show promises an up-close experience inside one of Sydney’s most intimate theatres.

Why queer audiences should have W on their radar

While W‘s narrative is obviously rooted in sport, it lands squarely in queer cultural territory too. The AFLW has long had one of the highest numbers of LGBTQIA+ players and fans in Australian sport, making it a space where identity, visibility and community are already deeply intertwined.

That makes this story one that’s likely to resonate far beyond footy fans, so queer theatregoers are extremely likely to love it.

W runs from 29 May to 14 June at the Old Fitz Theatre in Woolloomooloo.