Cast revealed for new play about Marcelo Bielsa in Leeds

Leeds Playhouse will present Through It All Together.

The new play from Chris O’Connor is described as “a love letter to Marcelo Bielsa”, the previous manager of Leeds United.

It follows Sue and Howard, a Yorkshire couple navigating a diagnosis of dementia while cheering on their beloved football club during Bielsa’s glory days in the first two years of “Bielsaball”.

O’Connor describes the piece as a “culmination of two things I felt compelled to write about.” Saying: “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.”

Gitika Buttoo will direct. The creative team is completed by set and costume designer Amanda Stoodley, lighting designer Jason Taylor, sound designer and composer Annie May Fletcher, movement director Neil Bettles, casting director Lucy Casson, and theatre and dementia consultant Dr Nicky Taylor.

Shobna Gulati and Reece Dinsdale are set to lead the play, as Sue and Howard, respectively.

They’ll be joined by Natalie Davies, Dean Smith, and Everal A Walsh.

Gulati said: “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.”

Dinsdale added: “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.”

Buttoo concluded: “As a director from this region, it’s a privilege to tell a story so close to home with an outstanding northern cast. They bring skill, heart, and authenticity to their roles, and I know audiences will be moved by their performances.”

Through It All Together has been commissioned and developed by Leeds Playhouse. The production has also been closely developed with members of Leeds’ Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project (DEEP), which is co-run by Leeds Playhouse and Dementia Friendly Leeds.

The production will play in Leeds Playhouse’s Courtyard Theatre from 23 June to 19 July.