THROUGH IT ALL TOGETHER - Leeds Playhouse (27/06/25)

New play by Chris O'Connor will greatly appeal to Leeds locals, others perhaps less so

Football to the city of Leeds is like marmalade sandwiches to Paddington bear, one cannot imagine one without the other, and the storied journey of Leeds United, from their heady heights under Don Revie in the 60s and 70s, to their more recent uneven form, is one familiar to that vast majority of those in the great Yorkshire metropolis. This new play, penned by home-grown talent Chris O'Connor, explores the impact, trials and tribulations of the beautiful game, how the sport can unify families, communities and cities, and the shared sense of agony and ecstasy experienced as if as one. However, aside from its tributes to manager Marcelo Bielsa, it also acts as a devastating reminder as to the cruel, inhumane nature of how one's diminishing memory and sense of self manifest as a result of dementia, and the effect it has on a family.

"Through It All Together" follows one family of three, and how Bielsa's reign at Leeds United in particular helps father figure Howard retain a sense of personal and cognitive retention in the midst of his deteriorating mental state, as well as the impact it has on wife Sue and daughter Hazel, and how the pair adjust to this major change in all of their respective lives. This is only compounded by the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, which undeniably proves a catalyst in Howard's loss of memory as, during this global crisis, wife Sue falls ill with the virus, and the removal of this crucial figure from his life, even temporarily, rests a heavy burden onto Hazel's young shoulders.

Reece Dinsdale and Natalie Davies (credit: Charlie Swinbourne)

This loving yet quietly anxious family dynamic is what drives this new play, with interspersed moments of humour from a variety of other characters, portrayed brilliantly by Everal A. Walsh and Dean Smith, both displaying superb acting range and a delightful degree of humour, as we go from a pub quiz to an independent football podcast, to Leeds club executives. Walsh and Smith are both supremely talented performers, with their impressive vocal and physical idiosyncrasies on full display throughout.

In spite of the fantastic mix of humour and solemnity though, and with the solid balancing of creative elements, it never really feels like director Gitika Buttoo manages to find a cogent degree of flow through the narrative, as transitions at times felt pretty cumbersome and uneven. And I do understand that this is, first and foremost, a play with the city of Leeds and its people at its very heart, as evidenced by the moments of audience immersion; the interspersion of football chants was somewhat endearing at first, however it did start to become fairly arduous, self-indulgent, at times grating towards the end of the first act in particular.

Everal A. Walsh and Dean Smith (credit: Charlie Swinbourne)

Leading the line as patriarch Howard is local Leeds lad Reece Dinsdale, whose portrayal of the constant struggle experienced by those with dementia is addictively layered, nuanced, and steeped in devastating realism, our collective hearts ache for him, especially during some gorgeous, tragic solo scenes during which we experience his sense of isolation and fear. These are accentuated enormously effectively by Annie-May Fletcher's harrowing soundscape, and some marvellously distinct lighting design by Jason Taylor, as we experience with Howard this feeling of terror and uncertainty, and these increase in intensity over time, for which one does have to give a great deal of kudos to director Buttoo.

Playing opposite Dinsdale as Howard's wife Sue, Shobna Gulati brings heaps of warmth and humility, maintaining patience and understanding is an enormous challenge when faced with the prospect of someone you love slipping away, and even the most beautiful soul will struggle with this, and Gulati's on-stage relationship with Dinsdale is beautifully earnest, as they display with aplomb how the couple's love helps them get through the worst of Howard's condition. Daughter Hazel, played by Natalie Davies, provides wonderful generational insight, though not always particularly strong vocal projection, given that our three main performers do not have microphones.

To state that this is a Leeds local's perfect play would perhaps be its most accurate summation, as O'Connor has clearly written and staged this play with his hometown in mind. Though the constant references to Leeds and its football club often feel brash and conceited, it is still managed with a great deal of heart; the outsiders in the audience may not necessarily take as much away from the play as a whole, however its overriding message and representation of the real world impact of dementia is exquisitely handled, and one that should be experienced by as many as possible, just be prepared for some sporting boisterousness along the way.

★★★☆☆

"Through It All Together" plays at Leeds Playhouse until the 19th of July, with tickets on sale from the venue's website.

[PR/Gifted tickets]