In a timely production that examines how the people of Yorkshire feel about their right to vote, documentary theatre company Look Left Look Right and Leeds University professor of drama Professor Stephen Bottoms present Counted at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, from next Tuesday.

Based on interviews with the people of West Yorkshire conducted by Stephen Coleman, professor of political communication and director of research at Leeds University, Counted tells “the real stories of real people, young and old, black and white, rich and poor, funny, passionate and confused”.

In this new era of the Conservative-Lib Dem alliance, the show explores the failing relationship between British voters and the political system, while looking optimistically to the future.

Counted depicts an opinion pollster at the top of his game losing faith in statistics. The General Election is expected to see the lowest turnout in modern history, and nobody seems to be asking why, so the play goes back to basics to ask ordinary voters for their stories.

“What really counts to them?” asks Look Left Look Right’s Ben Freedman and Mimi Poskitt, who have written and directed the show with Stephen Bottoms. “The problem isn’t political apathy, but quite the opposite. Hear real people’s moving and humorous stories, word for word, in a verbatim play about what it means to feel counted.”

Performances start at 7.45pm, May 25 to May 29, plus 2pm on May 27 and 2.30pm on May 29. Tickets are on sale on 0113 213 7700 or wyp.org.uk