Political woman of steel and Shakespeare comedy on Sheffield's Crucible stages

Steel, to be seen in the Studio, is a new play by Sheffield-born Chris Bush, whose last work in the Crucible was What We Wished For.

This witty new play explores the last three decades of women in politics, asking what’s changed and what still must.

The top candidate without question, Labour Party politician Vanessa was made to be Mayor.

Thirty years beforehand, Josie just wants things to change and seeks a seat on the local council.

Directed by Rebecca Frecknall, Steel features Nigel Betts from ITV drama Little Boy Blue as Ian/Dai and Rebecca Scroggs, who played Fiona ‘Tosh’ Mackintosh in EastEnders, as Vanessa/Josie.

William Shakespeare’s most celebrated comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream comes to the Crucible.

Expect desperate lovers, squabbling supernaturals and a hapless troupe of amateur actors to get tangled in this joyous tale of enchantment and transformation.

The show is directed by Sheffield Theatres artistic director Robert Hastie, who also directed Christmas musical The Wizard of Oz.

New music has been written by Dan Gillespie Sells of the band The Feeling.

Dan was the co-creator of London West End smash hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie that was created and premiered at the Crucible.

The production promises magic and mayhem, said Robert.

Daniel Rigby, who recently starred at the Crucible as TV interviewer David Frost opposite Jonathan Hyde as President Richard Nixon in political drama Frost/Nixon, takes on the comic role of Bottom.

Donna Berlin, who plays Starveling, was in Of Kith and Kin in the Crucible Studio last year and Sophia Nomvete, who takes the role of Quince, played the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz.

Pandora Colin returns for her second Shakespeare role directed by Robert Hastie in the Crucible, after appearing as Casca in his thrilling modern-day production of Julius Caesar last year.

The cast also features Patricia Allison (The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe), Phil Cheadle (Silent Witness), Bobby Delaney (Spamalot), Liam Gerrard (Jekyll & Hyde), Rebecca Jayne-Davies (Legally Blonde), Toheeb Jimoh (Talk to the Dog), Lorne MacFadyen (Grantchester), Evelyn Miller (Holby City), Francesca Mills (Zoolander 2) and Samuel Townsend (The Royals).

Steel runs at the Studio from Wednesday, September 12 to Saturday, October 6 and A Midsummer Night’s Dream is at the Crucible from Thursday, September 27 to Saturday, October 20.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased from the Sheffield Theatres box office in person, by phone on 0114 249 6000 or online at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk and are priced from £15.