Through It All Together at Leeds Playhouse
Kristy Stott, Theatre EditorBook now
Through It All Together
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Football, memory and love collide in Through It All Together, a heartfelt new play from Chris O’Connor, premiering at Leeds Playhouse this summer. Blending terrace chants with tender truths, it’s a story about dementia, devotion and the power of holding on when life starts to slip away.
Set in Yorkshire, the play follows lifelong Leeds United fans Howard and Sue as they come to terms with Howard’s dementia diagnosis. As his world begins to blur, the rhythms of matchdays, the roar of the crowd and the highs and lows of football become an unexpected anchor – not just for Howard, but for the couple’s relationship too. This is a story of memory, identity, shared rituals and the unshakeable bonds forged through family and football.
Playwright Chris O’Connor, who has deep ties to West Yorkshire, brings personal experience and regional specificity to the piece. A lifelong Leeds United fan, he paints the culture around the club with affectionate realism, while exploring how dementia affects not only the person diagnosed but also those closest to them. His previous work includes The Life and Soul and The Parting Glass, both known for their honest and empathetic take on working-class life.
Directed by Gitika Buttoo, Through It All Together features a strong cast led by Reece Dinsdale as Howard and Shobna Gulati as Sue. They’re joined by Natalie Davies, Dean Smith and Everal A Walsh. The creative team includes set and costume designer Amanda Stoodley, lighting designer Jason Taylor and composer Annie May Fletcher.
Crucially, the show has been developed with dementia specialist Dr Nicky Taylor, whose expertise has shaped both the script and the sensory design of the production, ensuring a portrayal that’s both authentic and emotionally resonant. And while Through It All Together will certainly strike a chord with football fans, its themes of memory, connection and holding our loved ones close speak well beyond the terraces.
Packed with humour, heart and hope, this performance promises to be moving and meaningful, and full of Yorkshire grit.
