Dear England

Last updated

Dear England
Dear England.jpg
Written by James Graham
Directed by Rupert Goold
Date premiered20 June 2023
Place premiered Olivier Theatre, National Theatre London
SubjectSport
GenreDrama

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]

Contents

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.

Playwright James Graham said after the England men lost the UEFA Euro 2024 final to Spain that he would rewrite the ending of Dear England to bring it up to date. [7]

Plot

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. [8]

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. [9] 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. [9] As manager, he proceeds to select his squad, including Harry Kane, Harry Maguire, and Marcus Rashford. [9] 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. [10] 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. [11]

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. [12] [11]

Music

The play uses popular music associated with the England teams in the 90s era and Southgate era including:

Production history

World premiere: National Theatre (2023)

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. [13]

West End (2023–2024)

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. [14] The play ran from 9 October 2023 until 13 January 2024. [14]

National Theatre return & Lowry run (2025)

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.” [15]

Principal roles and cast

CharacterNational Theatre [1] [9] [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 HugillGriffin Stevens
Raheem Sterling Kel Matsena
Marcus Rashford Darragh Hand
Jordan Pickford Josh Barrow
Dele Alli Lewis Shepherd
Bukayo Saka Ebenezer GyauDenzel Baidoo
Jordan Henderson Will Fletcher
Jadon Sancho Albert Magashi
Eric Dier Ryan Whittle
Greg Clarke John Hodgkinson
Greg Dyke Tony Turner
Sam Allardyce Sean GilderLloyd Hutchinson
Alex Scott Crystal Condie

Critical reception

The premiere of Dear England received positive reviews overall, [10] 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." [8]

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". [9] 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". [11]

Awards and nominations

Original London production

YearAward CeremonyCategoryNomineeResult
2023 Evening Standard Theatre Awards [27] [28] Best PlayNominated
2024 WhatsOnStage Awards [29] Best PlayNominated
Best Performer in a Play Joseph Fiennes Nominated
Best Supporting Performer in a PlayWill CloseNominated
Best Direction Rupert Goold Nominated
Best Casting DirectionBryony Jarvis-TaylorNominated
Best ChoreographyEllen Kane & Hannes LangolfNominated
Best Lighting Design Jon Clark Nominated
Best Sound DesignDan Balfour & Tom GibbonsNominated
Best Video DesignAsh J WoodwardNominated
Laurence Olivier Awards [30] Best New Play James Graham Won
Best Actor Joseph Fiennes Nominated
Best Actor in a Supporting RoleWill CloseWon
Best Actress in a Supporting Role Gina McKee Nominated
Best Director Rupert Goold Nominated
Best ChoreographerEllen Kane & Hannes LangolfNominated
Best Set Design Es Devlin & Ash J WoodwardNominated
Best Lighting Design Jon Clark Nominated
Best Sound DesignDan Balfour & Tom GibbonsNominated

Television adaptation

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.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hemming, Sarah (21 June 2023). "Dear England, National Theatre — James Graham scores a winner with exhilarating football play". Financial Times . Archived from the original on 25 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Glynn, Paul (21 June 2023). "Dear England: Gareth Southgate play hits back of the net, critics say". BBC News. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  3. ↑ Galton, Bridget (21 June 2023). "Review: Joseph Fiennes as Gareth Southgate in Dear England at National Theatre". Ham & High. Archived from the original on 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  4. ↑ "'Dear England' examines the country through its football manager" . The Economist . 21 June 2023. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Akbar, Arifa (20 June 2023). "Dear England review – touching, funny retelling of Gareth Southgate's quiet revolution". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  6. ↑ Crompton, Sarah (21 June 2023). "Dear England at the National Theatre review – the beautiful game in a beautiful play". Whats On Stage . Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  7. ↑ Oakley, Tom (15 July 2024). "Gareth Southgate play to be updated after Euros defeat". BBC News . Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  8. 1 2 Barekat, Houman (21 June 2023). "'Dear England' Review: When Soccer Success Becomes a Moral Victory". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Sampson, Annabel (22 June 2023). "Dear England at the National Theatre review: uplifting, funny and more entertaining than a World Cup final". Tatler . Archived from the original on 25 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Hamilton, Tom (19 July 2023). "How 'Dear England' recreates World Cup action live on stage". ESPN . Archived from the original on 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023. 'Dear England' has played to rave reviews in London.
  11. 1 2 3 Smith, Alistair (21 June 2023). "Dear England review: 'Joseph Fiennes is uncanny as Gareth Southgate'" . The Stage. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  12. ↑ Ximenez, Simon (21 June 2023). "[Review] Dear England". Broadway Baby . Archived from the original on 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  13. ↑ Putnam, Leah (20 June 2023). "World Premiere of Dear England Starring Joseph Fiennes Opens June 20". Playbill. Archived from the original on 19 August 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  14. 1 2 Millward, Tom (7 August 2023). "Dear England confirms West End transfer with Joseph Fiennes: The National Theatre's hit production is going into Extra Time!". WhatsOnStage.com . Archived from the original on 7 August 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  15. ↑ "Dear England: Football play returns with potential new ending". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  16. ↑ "Cast & Creative | Dear England | Official Website". dearenglandonstage.com/. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  17. ↑ "The Observer view on Dear England: Cry God for Harry, England and our Gareth". The Observer. 25 June 2023. Archived from the original on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023. Critics agree that it is actually pretty good...
  18. 1 2 3 Lukowski, Andrzej (21 June 2023). "Dear England". Time Out . Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  19. ↑ Davis, Clive (21 June 2023). "Dear England review–pitch-perfect Gareth Southgate brings the game home". The Times . Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  20. ↑ Clapp, Susannah (25 June 2023). "The week in theatre: Dear England; The Pillowman; The Third Man – review". The Observer . Archived from the original on 15 September 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  21. ↑ Curtis, Nick (21 June 2023). "Dear England at the National Theatre review: James Graham scores again with this thrilling football drama". Evening Standard . Archived from the original on 19 August 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  22. 1 2 Cavendish, Dominic (21 June 2023). "The beautiful game plays out with a broad smile... and not a football in sight: Dear England National's Olivier Theatre". The Telegraph . Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  23. ↑ Cowley, Jason (28 June 2023). "Dear England and the English Question" . The New Statesman . Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  24. 1 2 Dinneen, Steve (22 June 2023). "Dear England review: Gareth Southgate play hits the back of the net". City A.M. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  25. ↑ "Dear England review: James Graham 'hits the back of the net' once again". The Week . 29 June 2023. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  26. ↑ Davies, Paul T. (21 June 2023). "Paul T Davies reviews James Graham's play Dear England now playing at the National Theatre". BritishTheatre.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  27. ↑ "The 2023 Evening Standard Theatre Awards shortlist in full". Evening Standard. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  28. ↑ Dex, Robert (20 November 2023). "Scherzinger and Scott among winners at star-studded ES Theatre Awards". Evening Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  29. ↑ "The 24th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards: full list of winners". 11 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  30. ↑ "Olivier awards 2024: complete list of nominations". The Guardian. 12 March 2024. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  31. ↑ "BBC announces Dear England, a new drama based on James Graham's hit play about Gareth Southgate". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
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