Shobna Gulati and Reece Dinsdale to star in THROUGH IT ALL TOGETHER at Leeds Playhouse

Leeds Playhouse has announced a ‘Premiership’ line up for the world premiere of Leeds playwright Chris O’Connor’s Through it All Together, a love letter to Marcelo Bielsa, playing at the venue’s Courtyard Theatre from 23 June-19 July.

Shobna Gulati (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, West End) and Reece Dinsdale (Coronation Street, ITV) will play Sue and Howard, a Yorkshire couple navigating a diagnosis of dementia while cheering on their beloved Leeds United during manager Bielsa’s glory days in the first two years of “Bielsaball”.

Shobna Gulati said: “I’m really looking forward to being a part of the brilliant team telling this heartfelt story, as a person who has a first-hand experience of dementia and a great passion for football. In our story we share how this family navigates the impact of this condition through the challenges and choices they face, and how the shared love of their football team continues to cement their bond in the difficult sea of change.”

Reece Dinsdale said: “I’m honoured to play Howard in Through It All Together at Leeds Playhouse - a heartfelt piece that so many will relate to. Whether it’s through the beautifully observed portrayal of someone living with dementia and the people who care for them, something many of us have experienced, or through the deep connection of being a football fan, this play speaks to the heart.

“I have to say I’m a dedicated Huddersfield Town fan so I know the love a football fan has for their team is unfaltering - whether it’s Huddersfield, Halifax, Real Madrid or Leeds United. If you know what it means to live through a club’s highs and lows, you’ll understand the extraordinary love affair Leeds had with Marcelo Bielsa. I salute Chris O’Connor for penning such a moving and resonant piece.”

Joining Reece and Shobna on stage are Natalie Davies (Hullraisers, Channel 4); Dean Smith (Waterloo Road, BBC), and Everal A Walsh (Animal Farm, Leeds Playhouse).

Written by life-long Leeds United supporter Chris O’Connor, the play is a love letter to Bielsa, the beautiful game, and the bond that unites families and fans. Directed by Gitika Buttoo, the play has been closely developed with members of Leeds’ Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project (DEEP).

Writer Chris O’Connor said: “Through It All Together is the culmination of two things I felt compelled to write about. It tells a story of dementia that isn’t just a narrative of loss, but one that balances the challenges with hope, showing how people can still live well despite it. It’s also my tribute to Marcelo Bielsa, who not only inspired a weary fanbase and brought my beloved Leeds United back to the Premier League but stood as a man of principle and integrity in the money-driven world of modern football. This play is a love letter to him, to Leeds United, and to the power of love in helping us overcome life’s challenges. It’s an honour to have such a talented cast and creative team on board to help bring this story to life.”

The creative team is completed by set and costume designer Amanda Stoodley, lighting designer Jason Taylor, sound designer and composer Annie May Fletcher, movement director Neil Bettles, casting director Lucy Casson CDG, and theatre and dementia consultant Dr Nicky Taylor.

For more info on Through It All Together, please click here.