The Damned United

Down the stairs…

Along the corridor…

Round the corner…

Into the dressing room… HIS dressing room. Hateful, hateful place. Spiteful, spiteful place. Dirty, dirty Leeds.

1974. Brian Clough, the enfant terrible of British football, tries to redeem his managerial career and reputation by winning the European Cup with his new team. Leeds United. The team he has openly despised for years, the team he hates and which hates him. Don Revie’s Leeds.

Originally co-produced with the West Yorkshire Playhouse, The Damned United takes you inside the tortured mind of a genius slamming up against his limits, and brings to life the beauty and brutality of football, the working man’s ballet.

‘a cracking piece of theatre’ 4* review from British Theatre 

‘swift, compact and bullishly to the point’ 5* review from Entertainment Focus 

‘Luke Dickson is a commanding presence’ Yorkshire Post

‘powerful and demanding, Red Ladder Theatre Company’s production of The Damned United is every bit as belligerent and uncompromising as the protagonist of its story.’ 4* review from Broadway Baby.

‘Yes, this a play about football, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a tribute to an era-defining genius, a portrait of a man terminally wrapped-up in his own bravado, a study of loyalty and friendship under pressure…’ 4* Review in The Stage

‘The Damned United delves into a fear of loneliness, vulnerability and the relationships that truly matter – something we can all relate to.’ 4* Review in Leeds-Live

‘this could very easily have been an exercise in lionisation, but the decision to show, in equal measure, Clough’s strengths and weaknesses is a smart one’ 4* review from The List 

‘An intriguing portrait of a man who had an ability to inspire and aggravate is painted through this briskly-paced production, and the charismatic performances make this a compelling play.’ London Theatre 1

‘This is an intimate character study of one of sport’s biggest personalities and is a brilliant production for both football fans and theatre lovers.’ 4* Review from Three Weeks

‘a masterpiece of theatre’ –  9/10 review from Liverpool Sound and Vision

‘a fascinating, if fictional, psychological study of one of sport’s most complex, charismatic and infuriating characters’ 4* review from Arts City Liverpool

‘…the production captures the essence of one man’s tortured mind and his attempts to do things his way.’ 5* Review from Daily Business Magazine

By Anders Lustgarten
Adapted from the novel by David Peace
Directed by Red Ladder’s Artistic Director Rod Dixon
A Red Ladder and West Yorkshire Playhouse Co-Production.

Dates