★★★★ Dear England: Footy Fan or Not, This is a Must-See Show

The cast of Dear England, photography by Marc Brenner

Earlier this week, we attended the opening night of Dear England at Sheffield's Lyceum Theatre, and what a night it was!

Dear England tells the story of Gareth Southgate’s run as manager of the men’s England football team. The show is packed full of British humour, familiar faces and a good old singalong at the end, so don’t worry if you’re not a football fan - Dear England is for everyone. 

Because the show is a fictionalised retelling of a true story, it feels odd to refer to Southgate and the team as "characters" but that is essentially what they are! The cast nailed their impressions, with stand-out performances from David Sturzaker (Gareth Southgate) and Oscar Gough (Harry Kane). The attention to detail in each performance was highly impressive, from vocal patterns and inflections right down to the way Kane adjusts his socks before taking a penalty.

Samantha Womack portrays psychologist Pippa Grange, who Southgate hired as Head of People and Team Development. I regret to say I hadn’t heard of her until this show but I have since learned that Grange has done a great deal of work on understanding the role of fear in performance; facing your fears is a theme kept up throughout Dear England and it is clear that this came from Grange’s work. Womack plays her excellently. Other notable cast members include Ian Bartholomew, George Rainsford and Jass Beki. 

The costume department had a tough job, not only having to recreate multiple football kits that meet the standards of eagle-eyed footy fans but also matching the styles of real people. And they did a stellar job - Sturzaker was the spit of Southgate, sporting his iconic waistcoat and polo shirt. Courtney George wore multiple costumes throughout the show: from Alex Scott to Theresa May, the costuming combined with George’s incredible ability to replicate each of her characters’ mannerisms brought these figures to life in a comedic but accurate way. And though I lack the knowledge myself, I have been assured by football experts (aka my boyfriend) that the team kits were spot on. 

The set was simple: an almost bare stage with several wooden set pieces that were used to symbolise doorways or lockers. Personally, I love sets like this as it really demonstrates how skilled the set and lighting teams are. How can one stage be both a locker room and the football pitch at Old Wembley? With ease, according to Dear England’s talented team.

The only aspect of the show I was disappointed with was the sound design. The transition sequences were uncomfortably loud in a clear attempt to create a sense of urgency for the story, but the actors already achieved this with the tension in the conversations they were having onstage. Coming through the speakers, the soundtrack felt tinny at times and I was unsure whether this was deliberately done to give the feel that we were watching football on a television, but ultimately it missed the mark. 

The overall message of the play is nothing original: believe in yourself. Be yourself. Winning isn’t everything. But in a show like this, that doesn’t matter. Dear England, just like Southgate’s “Dear England” letter, is about unity and pride. It raises awareness about themes such as misogyny and racism and other stigmas within sport but does so in a comprehensible way. This show is revolutionary in the way that it has made theatre accessible for a wider audience; I overheard someone joke that the venn diagram of football fans and theatre goers looks more like two circles. It is always a positive thing when the arts can be celebrated by new audiences.

SPOILER ALERT: The show concludes with England losing to Spain at the 2024 Euros final but the energy in the theatre was positive, filled with cheers after Dear England delivered the idea that winning isn’t everything but unity is. 'Sweet Caroline' erupted through the speakers and the actors were met with a standing ovation as the audience clapped and danced and sang along (“SO GOOD! SO GOOD! SO GOOD!”).

Dear England is in Sheffield until Saturday 25th October, before heading out to continue its major national tour. This incredible production is a must-see, so book your tickets now!