Dear England
by James Graham
The Olivier Award-winning smash hit returns to the National Theatre
The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t England’s men win at their own game?
The team has the worst track record for penalties in the world, and manager Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take team and country back to the promised land.
With the upcoming European Championship front of mind, writer James Graham (Punch, Nottingham Playhouse; Sherwood, BBC) and director Rupert Goold (Patriots, Cold War, Almeida Theatre) bring the story into 2024, with an updated version of this ‘thrilling’ (Sunday Times) examination of both nation and game.
Please note this is a fictionalised account of the struggles and successes of England’s football teams, based on extensive research and interviews. It features characters inspired by some real-life individuals, and some composite characters entirely imagined by the author.
‘A theatrical spectacle as uplifting as any England victory.’
Telegraph
‘A back-of-the-net winner’
The i
‘The beautiful game in a beautiful play’
WhatsOnStage
Suitability
Please note: This performance contains offensive language, strobe lights, bright lights directly focused at the audience and loud noises throughout.
Supporters
The commissioning of this production was supported by the Sir Peter Shaffer Charitable Foundation.
The original production at the National Theatre was generously supported by the Dear England Team of Production Champions.
Cast to be announced
Production team
Writer
James Graham
James Graham
For the National Theatre: Boys from the Blackstuff (also Liverpool’s Royal Court and Garrick), Dear England and This House (both also West End)
Director
Set Designer
Es Devlin
Es Devlin
Costume Designer
Evie Gurney
Evie Gurney
For the National Theatre: The Grapes of Wrath, Dear England (also West End), Much Ado About Nothing and Antony and Cleopatra
Lighting Designer
Jon Clark
Jon Clark
Jon Clark is a Tony and Olivier award-winning lighting designer. He has designed extensively in the West End, on Broadway, for the National Theatre, Royal Opera House, Royal Shakespeare Company and with many other companies in the UK and internationally.
Co-Movement Director
Co-Movement Director
Hannes Langolf
Hannes Langolf
Hannes Langolf is a German-born physical theatre artist, based in London.
Co-Sound Designer
Co-Sound Designer
Tom Gibbons
Tom Gibbons
Additional Music
Video Designer
Ash J Woodward
Ash J Woodward
Casting Director
Bryony Jarvis-Taylor
Bryony Jarvis-Taylor
Dialect Coach
Richard Ryder
Richard Ryder
Richard Ryder has been working as a voice coach for more than 20 years. He has an accent app for actors called ‘The Accent Kit’, a free download for iPhone and Android.
Voice Coach
Cathleen McCarron
Cathleen McCarron
For the National Theatre: Mnemonic (2024), a co-production with Complicité, Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Till the Stars Come Down, The House of Bernarda Alba, The Confessions, Dear England, The Motive and the Cue, Death of England: Closing Time and Romeo and Julie
Voice Coach
Tamsin Newlands
Tamsin Newlands
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King, Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Till the Stars Come Down, Jekyll & Hyde and The House of Bernarda Alba
Associate Director
Elin Schofield
Elin Schofield
Elin Schofield is a director, writer and movement director.
Ticket prices
Monday – Saturday evenings and matinees:
£25, £39, £59, £79, £99
Previews 10 – 14 March:
£20, £35, £49, £64, £79
For concessions and discounts, see Ways to save
Please note the 6.30pm start time on the following performances: Tue 8 April, Thu 17 April, Thu 1 May and Tue 6 May.
Visit our Ticketing FAQs for information on how to book, ticket exchanges and more.
Prices may change according to demand
Assisted performances
Captioned
BSL Interpreted
Audio described
No Chilled performance available.
No Dementia-friendly performances available.
Relaxed performance
The interpreter for the BSL performance will be announced closer to the performance date.
Audio-described performances are preceded by a Touch Tour, 90 minutes before the performance start time. Call the Access line on 020 7452 3961 to book Touch Tours.
We have an allocation of tickets held for members of our Access scheme and if any of the assisted performances above are shown as “Sold Out”, tickets may still be available: Please log in to your account to view all available tickets, or call Box Office on 020 7452 3961
Smart caption glasses
Are planned to be available for performances of Dear England from 7.30pm, Wednesday 26 March.
Bookshop
Buy the poster for the original run of Dear England
Visit the Bookshop website for a wide range of playtexts, gifts and prints of past production posters.