REVIEW | Dear England, Prince Edward Theatre
The cast of Dear England in the West End. Credit Marc Brenner Written by Bronagh
*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review
Contains offensive language, strobe lights, bright lights directly focused at the audience and loud noises.
Football isn’t something that typically goes hand in hand with theatre. But as theatregoers know – there is always a story to tell. Written by James Graham, and directed by Rupert Goold, Dear England has now transferred from the National to the Prince Edward Theatre, where it is sure to be a hit.
Dear England starts with Gareth Southgate’s career-defining missed penalty at the Euros 1996. A moment that has followed him throughout his career. Twenty years later Southgate is now the England manager, a position he still holds to this day. Dear England follows Southgate’s coaching techniques and the team’s turnaround, spanning the 2018 World Cup, Euros 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, all while being haunted by the memory of that missed penalty.
The first half of Dear England concentrates on the players, to their dismay, sharing their hopes and dreams as well as any fears that they may be hiding. Psychologist Dr Pippa Grange, played by Dervla Kirwan, is brought in to help the players work on their mindset and to talk about their feelings. Here we see another side to the players and explore the inner workings of the young men who have an enormous amount of pressure on them.
The second act is where the main action unfolds and keeps the audience hooked, showing the team smashing it through the Euros and then some disappointment in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup. Here we see the highs and lows, the racism that players are subjected to and Southgate’s response. Southgate has been referred to as ‘woke’ and concentrating too much on ‘feelings’. Dear England shows him as an inspirational leader, who wants success for his team who clearly respect him massively.
Joseph Fiennes is brilliantly convincing as Gareth Southgate. Will Close is a favourite playing Harry Kane, giving us all a good few laughs throughout much to the audience’s delight. The whole cast does a great job at imitating their real-life counterparts, from accents to mannerisms!
The set is very simple, with a large oval hovering over the stage making us feel as if we are very much inside Wembley Stadium at times. The music used did not disappoint, with crowd favourites ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ and, of course, ‘Vindaloo’ blaring through the speakers.
Names of well-known footballers are projected onto the stage and the curtain falls. It isn’t all over; Southgate continues to manage England and it doesn’t look like he is going anywhere soon. A brilliant addition to the West End, Dear England is a must-watch whether you know anything about football or not.
Booking at the Prince Edward Theatre until 13th January 2024.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
