Leeds United 2020 promotion and lockdown hope at heart of new Marcelo Bielsa-inspired production

Through It All Together will run in the Courtyard Theatre at Leeds Playhouse from June 23 to July 19. It was written by lifelong Leeds supporter Chris O'Connor who wanted to tell a heartwarming story that revolved around two major themes in his life - Leeds United and dementia. The play tells the story of an ordinary Yorkshire family dealing with a dementia diagnosis while following their club during Bielsa's tenure as head coach.

READ: Bielsa-inspired play set for debut on Leeds stage this month

Director Gitika Buttoo said: "We are having an incredible time in rehearsals working on Chris O’Connor’s beautiful and passionate production. The whole company are unbelievably skilled at what they do and bring so much heart and experience to the process. They are having a monumental impact on the creation of the show.”

Leeds Playhouse have released rehearsal images of Shobna Gulati [Dinnerladies and Coronation Street] and Reece Dinsdale [Coronation Street and Life on Mars] who play the lead characters Sue and Howard - a couple who love Leeds United and are having to navigate living with dementia. Marcelo Bielsa's arrival at Elland Road ignites hope for their club and on a personal level.

Writer O'Connor told the YEP: "When I was growing up we were in the Champions League, and I just thought that's how it would be. Then we have 16 years outside the top flight. It took so long that it just became this, I don't know, like it just weighed on me. And then when Bielsa came in, so much just lifted. It lifted my kind of negative perception of football, which seems to have lost something about its soul, and it just was a huge breath of fresh air. So as a writer, I wanted to write something about that and capture that.

“For Leeds fans I hope it gives them some sense of sharing with others that joy of that [2020] promotion season, because many of us didn't get to share it because of the lockdown rules. I want people to be entertained and moved ultimately. I'm hoping people will feel the power of theatre and feel moved by the story."

A spokesperson for Leeds Playhouse added: "This play underscores the Playhouse’s commitment to creating professional work with and for people living with dementia, rooted in lived experience, and accessible to the communities it serves. The production has been developed in close collaboration with members of Leeds’ Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project (DEEP), co-run by Leeds Playhouse and Dementia Friendly Leeds.

"Leeds Playhouse offers a variety of creative activities for people living with dementia, including Our Time sessions, Peer Support sessions in collaboration with the Peer Support Service and 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."