Northern Ballet’s production of Gentleman Jack makes its debut at Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre today (September 3), presenting Anne Lister’s life through dance.
The show delivers a fresh perspective on one of Yorkshire’s most extraordinary historical personalities and has generated renewed curiosity about the actual woman who inspired both the television series and the ballet.
The production runs through September 5 at the Alhambra.
Bradford’s tourism authority has compiled a Gentleman Jack-themed itinerary highlighting locations connected to Lister’s life and legacy across Halifax, Bradford and Saltaire.
The route commences at The Piece Hall in Halifax, a Georgian courtyard that served as a backdrop in the BBC and HBO adaptation, representing 19th-century Halifax.
Visitors can tour the heritage site and view a statue of Lister, the trailblazing diarist, explorer and businesswoman whose encoded diaries documented lesbian life during the 1800s.
Wainhouse Tower stands nearby, offering panoramas across the terrain Lister would have recognised, though the structure was constructed after her death.
Those who ascend its 369 steps are rewarded with views spanning Calderdale and surrounding areas, providing an alternative vantage point on the region that shaped her existence.
Her legacy remains evident throughout Halifax.
Artist Anna Jaxe created a vibrant mural on the exterior wall of the Ring O’ Bells establishment close to Halifax Minster.
The Minster contains Lister’s gravestone and marks the beginning of the yearly Anne Lister Pilgrimage.
From Halifax, the journey proceeds to Bradford, the inaugural UNESCO City of Film.
At the Alhambra, audiences can attend Northern Ballet’s performance, while the adjacent Little Germany district maintains another connection to the series.
Grand Victorian warehouses and cobbled thoroughfares were adapted to represent 1830s Halifax for filming purposes.
The district became one of the programme’s identifiable settings and continues attracting enthusiasts.
The itinerary concludes at Saltaire, the UNESCO World Heritage village, which marks 25 years of World Heritage designation in 2026.
Sections of the village and Salts Mill featured in Gentleman Jack, granting visitors another opportunity to traverse locations depicted on screen.
Independent galleries and retailers, eateries and dining establishments, alongside preserved Victorian architecture, enhance the visit.
Collectively, these sites link visitors with the landscapes, heritage and narratives central to Anne Lister’s Yorkshire.
Her life persists in reaching fresh audiences through television, theatre and ballet.
The itinerary merges entertainment with regional history, enabling visitors to move between filming locations, memorials, viewpoints and structures tied to the area while providing a pathway for those seeking to comprehend how Halifax and Bradford feature in Lister’s narrative.