Former Emmerdale and Coronation Street stars will have Leeds United’s Premier League-bound fans ‘Marching On Together’ as they take to the stage for a heart-warming new play that combines the trials and tribulations of living with dementia alongside the joy of football. Shobna Gulati and Reece Dinsdale will play Sue and Howard, a Yorkshire couple navigating a diagnosis of dementia while cheering on their beloved Leeds United during former manager Marcelo Bielsa’s glory days in the first two years of his Elland Road reign.
On Sunday Leeds secured promotion back to the big stage three years after Bielsa’s reign ended in the sack as his team slumped towards relegation. But the new production at Leeds Playhouse from June 23 until 19th July will relive how the colourful Argentinian initially revived the team after they had endured years in the doldrums.
Gulati has captivated audiences with their versatile performances across television, film, and theatre. She is best known for iconic roles such as Anita in Victoria Wood’s beloved sitcom Dinnerladies and Sunita Alahan in Coronation Street. She has also portrayed Mari Hoff in the UK tour of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice and Ray in the West End production of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
Dinsdale is a distinguished actor and director with an impressive portfolio spanning television, theatre and film. Having first found fame alongside John Thaw in 1980s smash Home To Roost he featured in iconic cult football hooligan film ID and has played Joe McIntyre in Coronation Street and Paul Ashdale in Emmerdale. The 65-year-old’s other high profile TV dramas include Threads, Take Me Home, Spooks, Life On Mars, Conviction, and Silent Witness.
The actor also starred in the inaugural production, Wild Oats, at the West Yorkshire venue and has appeared in multiple plays on the esteemed stage over its 35 year existence.
He 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.”
Shobna Gulati, 58, added: “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.”
Written by life-long Leeds United supporter Chris O’Connor, the play is described as a love letter to Bielsa, the beautiful game, and the bond that unites families and fans.
Directed by Gitika Buttoo, the play has been commissioned and developed by Leeds Playhouse working with members of Leeds’ Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project (DEEP), which is co-run by Leeds Playhouse and Dementia Friendly Leeds.
Writer 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.”
Leeds Playhouse has won multiple awards for its pioneering programme of creative activities for people living with dementia in the city.