The Theatre Talk with Dear England
- Jonathan Rawlinson
- Mar 30
- 3 min read
James Graham’s Olivier award-winning play, Dear England, is coming to The Lowry from 29th May until 29th June 2025. Based on the trials and tribulations of the England football squad under Gareth Southgate’s management, it would be easy to say this play is just about football, but it is so much more than that. Whether you’re a theatre fanatic who’s not one bit into football, or a die-hard football fan who’s never seen a play, this show is truly for everyone. Ahead of its run at The Lowry, I was lucky enough to be invited to the National Theatre in London, where I not only got to see Dear England but also had the chance to sit down and chat with some of the cast.
Not being a football fan myself, I was surprised by how much Dear England resonated with me, just as much as it does with those who live and breathe the sport. Gwilym Lee who plays Gareth Southgate explained how Dear England has to to appeal to all audiences, because it’s about so much more than just football. At its core, it explores themes of mental health, resilience, and self-belief. With parallels between footballers performing on the pitch and actors perhaps on the stage, it is perhaps easier to understand its mass appeal. Beyond the players, the show also highlights the impact of Dr. Pippa Grange on the England squad, played by Liz White. As a sports psychologist, Grange played a pivotal role in transforming the England team’s culture. White explained that she hopes her portrayal of the character will inspire audiences to reflect on their own approach to challenges and to recognise the power of having integrity.
Es Devlin’s sleek and minimalist set design is genius and unlike much of what The Lowry has seen in a long time. While it may be minimalist, it is far from simple. The circular stage, featuring three tiers of rotating rings, is completed by modern LED screens that are used extensively throughout the show in various ways. The cast shared how they spent an entire morning in rehearsals just learning how to walk on the revolving stage, with its varying speeds and directions making it a challenge to master. This work paid off as it allows the stage to truly come alive in its own right, with the revolving stage helping facilitate slick scene transitions and the screens creating atmosphere tension, particularly during those all important penalty shootout sequences!
Based on real-life figures, the actors need to strike delicate balance between authenticity and creative interpretation. Josh Barrow, who plays Jordan Pickford described how he's always mindful that these are real, present-day figures and not historical characters. He explained how he aims to portray Pickford with respect rather than slipping into caricature whilst also finding scenes, such as locker room scene, in which he could experiment more with the charactisation of the famous goalkeeper. Gwilym Lee explained that instead of merely replicating Southgate’s mannerisms, he focused on understanding why he moves the way he does. This approach allowed him to fully embody the character, making it feel to the audience as though the former England manager himself has stepped onto the stage.
Jude Carmichael, making his stage debut as Marcus Rashford, is especially excited to bring the show to The Lowry, just a few miles from Wythenshawe where Rashford is from. The cast, like myself, are eager to see how northern audiences react to the show. Barrow excitedly explained how theatre-focused and football-focused audiences can have completely different (often audible) responses to certain moments in the play. One thing is certain, audiences in Salford are going to love this show and I can’t wait to experience it again when it arrives at The Lowry from 29th May 2025.