Gladstone Girls

A new play by Oscar-winner Rachel Shenton about 1970s Stoke-on-Trent pottery workers staging a peaceful protest over their 'Curl Friday' tradition.

Rachel Shenton's new play is set in 1970s Stoke-on-Trent, where a group of skilled women lithographers turn their pottery factory work room into a hair salon every Friday ahead of their weekly nightclub trip. When the floor manager tries to end their 'Curl Friday' tradition, the women stage a peaceful protest that spreads beyond the factory walls. Based on an original Slick Films podcast, the production blends heart, humour and history in celebration of working-class women. It runs at the theatre in the round from 6 to 27 February 2027, with captioned and audio-described performances.