As someone who can’t bear football, because it is forced upon them so much, I was as shocked as everyone to find how intrigued I was by the Dear England play.
Euro ’96 is probably the first big tournament I remember and Gareth Southgate’s penalty being the prevailing moment. And I think that was what made me want to see him and cheer him on as he managed to turn things around over the last decade as manager of the England men’s team.
The play starts with that missed penalty that knocked England out of the Euros in 1996. It then cuts to 2016 and Sam Allardyce ‘mutually deciding’ to leave the post with the FA, after being in charge for one singular game. We get to see Southgate being asked to become the Interim manager and follow how he managed to take the team to heights we’ve not seen since 1966! It gives detailed insights that have never been shown to football fans or a wider audience before.
Whilst the play is a fictionalised retelling, James Graham has done a lot of research from interviews and information that is already out there about the men’s football team. It has been done so well, that you can actually imagine these events actually took place and how they unfolded.
Obviously, David Sturzaker as Gareth Southgate and Samantha Womack as Pippa Grange were outstanding, but the company as a whole were phenomenal. It was obvious that time and effort had both been spent to get mannerisms and characteristics of each member of the team down perfectly. Granted, some side characters would have been easier to research (Teresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss), but the boys, especially Jack Maddison as Jordan Pickford, Oscar Gough as Harry Kane and Amarae Edson as Marcus Rashford really made the audience feel as though they were watching the players themselves (as could be told through the cheers for certain players – it was Liverpool don’t forget!). Courtney George was almost uncanny as Alex Scott presenting after matches too.
Whilst Es Devlin’s set design looked from the outside on the more basic side, it was very cleverly thought about and worked so well with Ash J Woodward’s video design, to make us feel as though we were in the changing rooms, training building or at the matches. The more you thought about it, the more you saw the nuances of the set along with Jon Clark’s lighting.
A play like this, you would assume would be easier for a costume designer like Evie Gurney – football kits and a waistcoated suit, but like with the sets and lighting, it was brilliant to see the attention to details throughout. Whether it was the slight change in England top, to showcase the year/tournament, or the changes to Gareth’s outfits as time moved on. The attention to small details was just perfection.
Despite being the person least likely to sit and watch a football match – this play is up there with some of the best I’ve ever seen!
Dear England is at the Liverpool Empire until 7th March 2026, before concluding the tour at the Birmingham Hippodrome. Tickets are available from www.dearenglandonstage.com
Reviewer: Jenn McKean
Reviewed: 3rd March 2026
North West End UK Rating: