Sheffield Lyceum – until Saturday 25 October 2025
Reviewed by Claire Moore
4****
Dear England charts the journey of Gareth Southgate as England manager, exploring the highs and heartbreaks of elite football and the emotional toll of leading a nation obsessed with the game. The play follows the team through three defining tournaments — the 2018 World Cup run in Russia, the agonising near-win at Euro 2020 at Wembley, and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. But don’t be put off if you’re not a football fan; this story goes far deeper than penalties and scoreboards.
At its heart, Dear England isn’t really about football at all — it’s about people, pride, and the power of vulnerability. James Graham’s script cleverly uses the game as a mirror for modern Britain, exploring what happens when a nation built on a stiff upper lip starts to talk about feelings. Through Southgate’s calm leadership, we see the players encouraged to open up — to confront fear, pressure, and identity. The play doesn’t shy away from the painful reality of the racist abuse aimed at Black players after the Euro 2020 final — a sequence that’s raw, honest, and deeply affecting.
The production is slick, with staging that moves smoothly from dressing room to press conference to pitch, using video projections and lighting to recreate the energy and emotion of match day. Football fans will no doubt find extra connection with the story and characters, but even as a football novice I was pulled in by the joy of the wins and felt every one of the losses, thanks to the camaraderie portrayed by a cast who truly feel like a team. David Sturzaker is superb as Southgate — quietly intense, thoughtful, and endearingly awkward. It’s always tricky playing characters we all feel we know, but the personalities of the players shine through, the quiet humbleness of Harry Kane (Oscar Gough), the slightly manic edge of Jordan Pickford (Jack Maddison), and the genuine emotion shown by Saka (Jass Beki), Sancho (Luke Azille) and Rashford (Jayden Hanley) help us see the people behind the headlines. There was even an extra cheer for Harry Maguire (Connor Hawker), clearly getting some hometown love from the Sheffield crowd.
Ian Kirby is brilliant as Gary Lineker (complete with Walkers crisps), Sven-Göran Eriksson, Greg Clarke, Matt Le Tissier and Thomas Tuchel. With many actors switching roles throughout, it could easily have become confusing, but thanks to sharp direction and clever use of costume and gesture, it all flows effortlessly. Courtney George also deserves a mention for her portrayal of Alex Scott, Sarina Wiegman and a brilliantly uncomfortable Theresa May.
By the end thanks to a great balance of humour and emotion, the audience were completely with it — the standing ovation was well deserved, and the Sweet Caroline singalong made for the perfect finale. Dear England might be about football on the surface, but it’s really a story about courage, empathy and trying to do better — as individuals and as a country. People often say it’s more than just a game. Turns out, it really is.