By Neil Glasspool.
January is not the usual time of year for feverish anticipation around the England men’s football team. That kind of behaviour tends to be reserved for the summertime. However, the arrival of the award-winning Dear England at Mayflower Theatre brought back a familiar surge of expectation. The question is could it deliver?
The answer is a resounding yes.
Unlike the national team, Dear England is an absolute triumph in ways you just wouldn’t expect.
It’s a love letter to English football.
It’s a wonderful, heart-fluttering trip down (recent) memory lane.
It’s a heartfelt portrait of a man on his own unique path of personal redemption.
Dear England begins with a prologue. The clever use of a simple, pared-back set, lighting and commentary transport you to an unforgettable moment. It’s 1996. It’s Wembley Stadium. It’s the moment that will bring a young Gareth Southgate, immaculately portrayed by David Sturzaker, to national attention.
We then jump 20 years later and are introduced to the first of many of the colourful characters that have defined English football, for better and for worse. Sam Allardyce is being removed from his post. The depiction of Big Sam by Stephen Dykes (who also re-appears as Fabio Capello, Gianni Infantino and the hilariously old school Physio Phil) brings big laughs.
It’s now time for a safe pair of hands. The FA turn to Southgate, and end up with an unexpected revolutionary.
From that point on we are taken on Southgate’s personal journey to redeem himself and a professional mission to end 50+ years of hurt.
Will the dour FA suits block his path? The portrayal of Greg Dyke and Greg Clarke make Statler and Waldorf look like forward-thinking progressives.
Can he win the players and coaching staff over? A brilliant ensemble cast brings the players and their personality traits to life – particularly Jack Maddison as Jordan Pickford.
Will his methods be accepted? These include the introduction of sports psychologist Pippa Grange, sensitively played by Samantha Womack.
How can England overcome their fear of penalties? Despite knowing the result, the art direction and design make the depiction of the shoot-out with Colombia in 2018 genuinely nail-biting.
Dear England provides all the answers. Along the way we are treated to musical numbers (Three Lions, Sweet Caroline, Grandstand theme tune, World in Motion and a tub-thumping rendition of Vindaloo), gentle introspection and fierce passion. Dear England doesn’t shirk bigger societal questions too, particularly around the St George’s Cross flag and what it stands for. Timely, perhaps?
Amongst all this is what seems to be a never-ending ensemble of familiar faces. Gary Lineker, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Thomas Tuchel, Graham Taylor, Sarina Wiegman, Alex Scott and a brilliantly played Sven-Goran Eriksson all bring eye-catching cameos to the table – or should that be pitch?
The final question, of course, is will it finally ‘come home’?
It’s no spoiler to say that Dear England does not have a conventional happy ending.
How can it? You can’t fudge history. Southgate did not lead the England men’s team to victory. What Dear England offers is the sense that he very much led them to a far better place than where he found them. That, like Dear England, is a remarkable triumph.
My advice is to start your build up to this summer’s World Cup early with Dear England at Mayflower Theatre. It’s a winner.
Tickets for Dear England (Tuesday 13 – Saturday 17 January 2026) are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
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