Dear England | |
---|---|
Written by | James Graham |
Directed by | Rupert Goold |
Date premiered | 20 June 2023 |
Place premiered | Olivier Theatre, National Theatre London |
Subject | Sport |
Genre | Drama |
Dear England is a play about England football manager Gareth Southgate, the pressures of elite sport, and the role of the national men's football team in the national psyche. The play explores how Southgate helped to change notions of masculinity on the England team. [1] [2] [3] Written by James Graham, it opened in June 2023 at the National Theatre in London starring Joseph Fiennes and directed by Rupert Goold. [4] [5] The title of the play comes from the open letter Southgate wrote to England fans in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. [2] [6] The play won the 2024 Laurence Olivier Awards for Best New Play and Will Close won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for his portrayal of Harry Kane.
The play follows the England men's football team under Gareth Southgate in the run-up to, and aftermath of, three tournaments: its unexpected run to the semifinals at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, its disappointing defeat in the 2020 European Championship final at Wembley Stadium, and its quarterfinal exit from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. [7]
The first act opens with a flashback to young Southgate as he misses a penalty at the 1996 Euro semifinals, causing England to be knocked out of the competition. [8] In the next scene, Southgate is announced as the new caretaker manager for the England national men's football team, as members of the public – including builders, barristers, and YouTubers – react. [8] As manager, he proceeds to select his squad, including Harry Kane, Harry Maguire, and Marcus Rashford. [8] Southgate brings in psychologist Pippa Grange to assist with training sessions, encouraging players to face their fears by keeping journals and talking about them. [5]
The second act focuses on emotional drama as the players develop under Southgate's leadership and take nerve-wracking penalties. [5] The play also touches on racist abuse experienced by black players on the England team following their loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final in 2021. [9] It ends with Harry Kane missing a penalty and England getting knocked out of the 2022 World Cup, but with Kane receiving the support from his teammates that Southgate himself had not received as a player. [10]
The play's many comical caricatures include former England managers Sven-Göran Eriksson, Graham Taylor, and Fabio Capello; former players and commentators Gary Lineker and Matt Le Tissier; and British prime ministers Theresa May, Boris Johnson, and Liz Truss. [11] [10]
The play uses popular music associated with the England teams in the 90s era and Southgate era including:
Dear England made its world premiere at the National Theatre (Olivier Theatre) in London, where it ran from 20 June to 11 August 2023, starring Joseph Fiennes as Gareth Southgate and directed by Rupert Goold. [12]
In August 2023, the National Theatre announced that Dear England would transfer to the Prince Edward Theatre in London's West End for a limited 14-week run, with Fiennes reprising his role as Gareth Southgate. [13] The play ran from 9 October 2023 until 13 January 2024. [13]
On 4 June 2024, the National Theatre announced that Dear England would be returning to the National Theatre (Olivier Theatre) from 10 March until 24 May 2025 and will then play at The Lowry in Salford for four weeks from 29 May until 29 June 2025. James Graham told the Guardian that he will update the ending of the show for its return. He told the Guardian, “I’ll be changing the play depending on what happens, and I don’t quite know what that will look like.” [14]
In February 2024, the BBC announced that they had commissioned Graham to adapt the play into a four-part television drama series. The series will be directed by Goold, and Fiennes will reprise his role as Gareth Southgate. [15]
Character | National Theatre [1] [8] [5] | West End [16] |
---|---|---|
2023 | ||
Gareth Southgate | Joseph Fiennes | |
Pippa Grange | Gina McKee | Dervla Kirwan |
Harry Kane | Will Close | |
Gary Lineker | Gunnar Cauthery | |
Mike Webster | Paul Thornley | |
Harry Maguire | Adam Hugill | Griffin Stevens |
Raheem Sterling | Kel Matsena | |
Marcus Rashford | Darragh Hand | |
Jordan Pickford | Josh Barrow | |
Dele Alli | Lewis Shepherd | |
Bukayo Saka | Ebenezer Gyau | Denzel Baidoo |
Jordan Henderson | Will Fletcher | |
Jadon Sancho | Albert Magashi | |
Eric Dier | Ryan Whittle | |
Greg Clarke | John Hodgkinson | |
Greg Dyke | Tony Turner | |
Sam Allardyce | Sean Gilder | Lloyd Hutchinson |
Alex Scott | Crystal Condie |
The premiere of Dear England received positive reviews overall, [9] with the BBC News saying that the show had "hit the back of the net" according to theatre critics, [2] and The Observer noting that "there were a couple of five-star raves and lots of football-ese puns". [17] While Time Out acknowledged that the premise of "a play about the squad’s resurrection under Gareth Southgate feels like a potentially hubristic idea – dangerously overhyping a gifted man who still hasn’t taken home any actual silverware", [18] a headline in The Times declared, "pitch-perfect Gareth Southgate brings the game home". [19]
The review in the Financial Times ran with the headline: "James Graham scores a winner with exhilarating football play". [1] Susannah Clapp wrote in The Observer that "Once again the playwright shows his particular gift, for writing a popular play with a resonant social theme". [20] Arifa Akbar of The Guardian called the play "a game of two halves", noting that it focused more on "story rather than drama in the first half, [5] while Houman Barekat wrote in The New York Times that he found the second half "considerably less funny" and that it felt "rushed...in contrast to the more leisurely pacing before the intermission." [7]
The set design by Es Devlin, featuring oval rings of light on an expansive stage, was described by Akbar as "incredible...simply yet excellently signifying a stadium", [5] while Nick Curtis of the Evening Standard said that it "powerfully expresses the isolation and exposure of the football pitch." [21]
Actor Joseph Fiennes was widely praised for his portrayal of the England manager, [2] with critic Quentin Letts of The Sunday Times referring to Fiennes's "almost AI-grade exactness", and Dominic Cavendish of The Telegraph lauding his "furrowed, remarkably lookalike Southgate". [22] Calling Fiennes's performance "magnificent", Jason Cowley observed in The New Statesman that, "Not only does he closely resemble the bearded, waistcoat-clad England manager, he expertly captures the flatness of his accent, the awkwardness of his Everyman persona, the twitches and rapid blinking, as well as the thoughtfulness and decency." [23] Alluding to the actor's performance in the lead role in Shakespeare in Love , Cavendish wrote that Fiennes "achieves a mesmeric intellectual intensity, hands deep in pockets or delicately gesticulating, that makes Southgate seem almost like Shakespeare's inheritor, weaving dreams for us all." [22]
Critics called the ensemble "well-cast", [18] with Tatler noting that their "visual resemblances are sometimes uncanny". [8] Many reviewers were impressed with their "mimicry" of England football stars. [24] While The Week lamented that some of the characterisations were "cartoonish", [25] the Financial Times observed "care and nuance" in several of their portrayals. [1] BritishTheatre.com described actor Will Close as "show-stealing" and "hilarious in every aspect" in his portrayal of England captain Harry Kane. [26] Time Out critic Andrzej Lukowski called out Close's Kane as "extremely funny...as affable as he is inarticulate" and also praised Gunnar Cauthery's turn as Gary Lineker. [18] Meanwhile, Steve Dinneen wrote in City A.M. that "Will Close is also excellent as Harry Kane, his impression of a man apparently devoid of personality initially bordering on the cruel but turning full circle as the player's heart and mettle are shown." [24] Alistair Smith of The Stage argued that the deliberate caricatures, also of politicians and other public figures, do "result in some jarring tonal shifts, as the piece veers from serious introspection to something closer to pantomime and back again". [10]
Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Evening Standard Theatre Awards [27] [28] | Best Play | Nominated | |
2024 | WhatsOnStage Awards [29] | Best Play | Nominated | |
Best Performer in a Play | Joseph Fiennes | Nominated | ||
Best Supporting Performer in a Play | Will Close | Nominated | ||
Best Direction | Rupert Goold | Nominated | ||
Best Casting Direction | Bryony Jarvis-Taylor | Nominated | ||
Best Choreography | Ellen Kane & Hannes Langolf | Nominated | ||
Best Lighting Design | Jon Clark | Nominated | ||
Best Sound Design | Dan Balfour & Tom Gibbons | Nominated | ||
Best Video Design | Ash J Woodward | Nominated | ||
Laurence Olivier Awards [30] | Best New Play | James Graham | Won | |
Best Actor | Joseph Fiennes | Nominated | ||
Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Will Close | Won | ||
Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Gina McKee | Nominated | ||
Best Director | Rupert Goold | Nominated | ||
Best Choreographer | Ellen Kane & Hannes Langolf | Nominated | ||
Best Set Design | Es Devlin & Ash J Woodward | Nominated | ||
Best Lighting Design | Jon Clark | Nominated | ||
Best Sound Design | Dan Balfour & Tom Gibbons | Nominated |
On 21 February 2024, it was announced that a four-part television series also written by Graham and directed by Goold was commissioned for BBC One and BBC iPlayer with Fiennes reprising his role of Gareth Southgate. [31] Left Bank Pictures will be executive producers and internationally distributed by Sony Pictures Television.
The England national football team have represented England in international football since the first international match in 1872. It is controlled by The Football Association (FA), the governing body for football in England, which is affiliated with UEFA and comes under the global jurisdiction of world football's governing body FIFA. England competes in the three major international tournament contested by European nations: the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA European Championship and the UEFA Nations League.
Joseph Alberic Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, known as Joseph Fiennes, is an English actor of film, stage, and television. Fiennes is particularly known for his versatility and period pieces. Journalist Zoe Williams observed that "he seemed to be the go-to actor for English cultural history". His numerous accolades include one Screen Actors Guild Award and nomination for a British Academy Film Award.
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor, film producer, and director. He graduated from RADA in 1985. A Shakespeare interpreter, Fiennes excelled onstage at the Royal National Theatre before having further success at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Widely regarded as one of Britain's most well-known and popular actors, he has received various accolades, including a BAFTA Award and a Tony Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards and an Emmy Award.
Sir David Rippon Hare is an English playwright, screenwriter and theatre director. Best known for his stage work, Hare has also enjoyed great success with films, receiving two Academy Award nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay for writing The Hoursin 2002, based on the novel written by Michael Cunningham, and The Readerin 2008, based on the novel of the same name written by Bernhard Schlink.
Gareth Southgate is an English professional football manager and former player who played as a defender and midfielder. He has been the manager of the England national team since 2016.
Southgate is a London Underground station in Southgate. It is on the Piccadilly line between Arnos Grove and Oakwood stations and is in Travelcard Zone 4.
Janet McTeer is an English actress. She began her career training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before earning acclaim for playing diverse roles on stage and screen in both period pieces and modern dramas. She has received numerous accolades including a Tony Award, a Olivier Award, a Golden Globe Award and nominations for two Academy Award and Primetime Emmy Award. In 2008 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to drama.
The Almeida Theatre, opened in 1980, is a 325-seat producing house with an international reputation, which takes its name from the street on which it is located, off Upper Street, in the London Borough of Islington. The theatre produces a diverse range of drama. Successful plays are often transferred to West End theatres.
Indira Anne Varma is a British actress and narrator. Her film debut and first major role was in Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love. She is known for her television roles, such as playing Niobe in the BBC and HBO series Rome (2005–07), Suzie Costello in the BBC series Torchwood (2006), Zoe Luther in the BBC series Luther (2010), Ilsa Pucci in Human Target (2010–11), and Ellaria Sand in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2014–2017). In September 2016 she began starring in the ITV/Netflix series Paranoid as DS Nina Suresh. She has also worked extensively in the theatre, notably winning an Olivier Award for her performance in Present Laughter (2019).
The England national under-21 football team, also known as England under-21s or England U21(s), is the national under-21 association football team of England, under the control of the Football Association. It is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team.
Rupert Goold is an English director who works primarily in theatre. He is the artistic director of the Almeida Theatre, and was the artistic director of Headlong Theatre Company (2005–2013). Since 2010, Goold has been an associate director at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 for services to drama.
Richard Anthony Bean is an English playwright.
The role of an England national football team manager was first established in 1946 with the appointment of Walter Winterbottom. Before this, the England national football team was selected by the "International Selection Committee", a process in which the Football Association (FA) would select coaches and trainers from the league to prepare the side for single games, but where all decisions ultimately remained under the control of the committee. A 1–0 defeat by Switzerland prompted FA secretary Stanley Rous to raise Winterbottom from "National Director of coaching" to "Manager".
Harry Edward Kane is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and captains the England national team. A prolific goalscorer with strong link play, Kane is regarded as one of the best players in the world and one of the best strikers of his generation. He is both Tottenham Hotspur's and England's all-time highest goalscorer, as well as being the second-highest all-time goalscorer in the Premier League. Kane has scored over 400 goals for club and country.
James Graham is a British playwright and screenwriter. His work has been staged throughout the UK and internationally, at theatres including the Bush, Soho Theatre, Clwyd Theatr Cymru, and the National Theatre.
Kalvin Mark Phillips is an English professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the England national team.
Marcus Rashford is an English professional footballer and author who plays as a forward for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team.
Benjamin William White is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Arsenal. He won four international caps for England in 2021 and 2022. Mainly a right-back, he can also play as a centre-back or as a defensive midfielder.
The UEFA Euro 2020 final was an association football match between Italy and England that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, England, on 11 July 2021 to determine the winner of UEFA Euro 2020. It was the 16th final of the UEFA European Championship, a quadrennial tournament contested by the senior men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA to decide the champions of Europe. Originally scheduled for 12 July 2020, the match had been postponed along with the rest of the tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe.
Mason Tony Mount is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking or central midfielder for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team.
'Dear England' has played to rave reviews in London.
Critics agree that it is actually pretty good...
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)