They honestly couldn’t have picked a better moment to bring this new show to life. Leeds United are finally back in the top division, the City’s still riding the high from its celebratory parade, and the timing of this production feels spot on.
Leeds has, without doubt, one of the most passionate, loyal, and let’s be honest, slightly obsessed fan bases in football — and this play is an absolute love letter to them. Not the angry Twitter brigade nor the overpaid footballers with fancy haircuts — but the real fans. The ones who’ve stood by Leeds through every heartbreaking relegation and glorious, scrappy comeback.
Through It All Together, written by Chris O’Connor, is clearly a proper labour of love. O’Connor mixes his obvious devotion to Leeds United with something far more personal — the experience of watching a loved one slowly slip away to dementia. It’s a story that somehow manages to be hilarious one minute, deeply moving the next, and will 100% have you singing Marching On Together before the night’s out.
The play follows married couple Sue (Shobna Gulati) and Howard (Reece Dinsdale) as they navigate the complicated, frustrating and often heartbreaking world of dementia — with their shared love for Leeds United acting as the one thing holding them together when everything else feels like it’s falling apart.
What I loved about this production is how real it felt. The script is clever, sharp and packed with those little moments we all recognise — whether you’re a die-hard football fan or someone who only watches when there’s snacks, drinks and an international trophy involved (me!). The scenes zip by at pace, balancing laugh-out-loud banter with those gut-punch emotional moments that catch you off guard. O’Connor’s writing captures the way football fever can grip absolutely everyone — from the bloke propping up the bar to the suited-and-booted business millionaires.
Dean Smith and Everal A. Walsh are brilliant in their quick-fire, multi-role supporting parts, shifting between characters faster than a dodgy VAR decision. Their energy is infectious and their timing is spot on. I particularly loved their roles as the radio commentators, swinging wildly from pure despair to ridiculous euphoria — anyone who’s ever watched football knows that rollercoaster feeling all too well.
But beneath the football chants and the pub banter, there’s a much deeper message here. The portrayal of dementia is handled with so much care, honesty and respect. It never feels forced or preachy — just raw, real, and at times, completely heartbreaking. You can tell the creative team, led by director Gitika Buttoo, worked closely with dementia care specialists to get it right, and it shows. Watching Howard’s decline is painful — the confusion, the fear, the heartbreaking flashes where he doesn’t recognise his surroundings — it’s all portrayed so beautifully and truthfully. Reece Dinsdale gives an outstanding performance as Howard. He brings humour, warmth and devastating vulnerability to the role, making Howard’s journey through dementia all the more powerful to watch.
And Shobna Gulati — what an absolute star. I’ve been in awe of her since her Dinnerladies days, but this just might be her strongest performance to date. We don’t often see women’s love for football portrayed properly — but here, it’s done with humour, heart and total authenticity. Her scene hiding under the table, too nervous to watch the final moments of the match, is pure gold. Most of us have been there (remember the euro finals penalty shootout?)— and if you’ve ever cared about a football team (or, honestly, even a tense Bake Off final), you’ll relate.
But it’s not just the laughs: Gulati’s performance is packed with heartache and frustration, too. Watching her character try to hold everything together – dealing with Howard’s confusion, the emotional whiplash, the weight of love and loyalty — it’s incredibly moving. The chemistry between Sue and Howard feels utterly believable, their relationship bringing both the laughs and the tears in equal measure.
And don’t worry if football isn’t your thing — this show goes way beyond the beautiful game. At its core, it’s about family, love, community and facing the toughest parts of life together. Football is just the backdrop — it’s the passion, the humour, the ridiculous highs and crushing lows that make it such a perfect metaphor for life.
I come from a family of football obsessives myself (shout out to Oldham Athletic — long-suffering, but still standing and now back in league two!) and the energy in the theatre definitely hit home. But honestly, even if you’ve never been to a match in your life, you’ll find something to love here. The audience truly felt like we’d been through it all with Howard and Sue too, united by laughter, tears and shared humanity.
Leeds has been my home for nearly a decade now, and this play is such a brilliant reminder of what makes this City — and its people — so special. It’s fierce, funny, loyal and full of heart.
If you’ve never been to the theatre, or you’ve got a football fan in your life who thinks plays “aren’t their thing” — take them. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll probably sing along. But most of all, you’ll leave feeling connected — to football, to family and to the fighting spirit of Leeds.
………………...at Courtyard Theatre until 19 July.
The creative team is completed by Set & Costume Designer Amanda Stoodley; Lighting Designer Jason Taylor; Sound Designer & Composer Annie May Fletcher; Movement Director Neil Bettles; Casting Director Lucy Casson CDG; and Theatre & Dementia Consultant Dr Nicky Taylor.
Photography by Charlie Swinbourne. Main image: Dean Smith (Multiroles) and Shobna Gulati (Sue).
Something to note: Leeds Playhouse offers a variety of creative activities for people living with dementia, including Our Time sessions for people with dementia and their partners, Peer Support sessions in collaboration with cultural organisations across the City, and its groundbreaking Dementia Friendly performances. The Playhouse’s innovative approach has earned national recognition, receiving awards from the Alzheimer’s Society and the National Dementia Care Awards. Through It All Together further demonstrates the Playhouse’s dedication to creating professional work centred on people living with dementia, rooted in lived experiences, and accessible to the communities it serves.
Through It All Together is proudly sponsored by JM Glendinning, as Associate Production Sponsor.
