As a huge lover of both football and theatre, I was admittedly skeptical about Dear England. Walking the line between those two worlds that rarely come together, I feared it would struggle to please those who had feet in both. I’m delighted to say I was wrong; Dear England, written by James Graham and directed by Rupert Goold is a triumphant piece of theatre that captures Gareth Southgate’s story and impact, and comments on what it means to support England.
Throughout the play, the dreaded penalty spot sat centre stage. The very first scene saw a young Southgate take that penalty in 1996, and its shadow hung over the entire play. Graham’s script, taking us through Southgate’s appointment as England manager right up until Euro 2024. It was clear why psychology and mental health was so crucial to his work as England manager, while also tying into wider social issues of mental health, particularly in men. This wouldn’t just be a retelling, but a play that grappled with the real struggles of its characters. Crucial to this also was David Sturzaker’s performance as Southgate. While not as accomplished as some of the other impressions, and at times a tad hammy, Sturzaker captured Southgate’s passion and motivation for transforming the England team, and by the second act I was rooting for him as strongly as I did in the tournaments.
He was joined by an excellent ensemble cast. The players, due to the number of them, were not explored in depth, but their quick introductions through carefully choreographed montages and character moments were insightful to all audience members, whether they knew the names or not. A special highlight was Oscar Gough’s performance as Harry Kane. His impression was spot on without being cartoonish, and he acted as a great mediator between Southgate and the team. A series of smaller characters were portrayed with varying success, with Steven Dykes’ Sam Allardyce and Ian Kirkby’s Gary Lineker – complete with crisps – being special highlights that created both humour and authenticity. While Courtney George’s Alex Scott and Sarina Wiegman were also accomplished, other impressions like Theresa May and Liz Truss fell flat, their inaccuracy exaggerated by the standard the performers had set themselves.
Es Devlin’s set design was also a huge asset to the show. A screen at the back performed a range of purposes, from beautifully rendered videos of stadiums, match highlights, and players, to scorelines. It worked especially well when combining with lighting and sound to create a stadium atmosphere and demonstrate the meaning of goals scored and conceded to audience members who didn’t fully understand the history of each game. The show was at times overreliant on sound, particularly in the first act, with the stage quite static in big moments.
Director Rupert Goold packaged the emotions of huge moments and utilised them expertly throughout. Big game moments like penalty shootouts and memorable wins and losses brought all the emotion back and made me proud to support England. Some moments, however, were undermined with quippy one-liners that I could’ve done without, but overall it was impossible to escape the atmosphere the directing created.
The show touched on some very pertinent themes, especially this year, raising questions about what the English flag represents. There was a political consciousness within the play, with figures like Matt Le Tissier complaining of “wokeness” in sport and a brief focus on the racism experienced by many of the black players in the England team. I would’ve liked this to have been tied more closely to the core of the play, as some of the show’s most poignant lines seemed more disconnected than they should have been.
Originally performed in 2023, the ending was rewritten in 2024 to include England’s loss to Spain in their second Euros final, and this new tour features a further update. While these are thoughtful additions, the last moments of the play seemed like it didn’t know when to stop, and unfortunately lost some of the power it could’ve had with a sooner ending. Nevertheless, an energetic bow featuring the iconic Sweet Caroline immediately got the audience on their feet, and I left the theatre feeling revitalised about England’s spirit. Dear England captures a special moment in English football history. In years soured with political instability, a pandemic, and more football heartbreak, Gareth Southgate gave us a reason to cheer, and he left the squad in a better place than he found it in. This play reminds us of that, and whatever your interest in football, Dear England will engross you in the unique feeling that international football provides.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
