Dear England’s starting line up announced
Posted on 13 September 2023
The theatre transfer deadline day may have ended, but thanks to Dear England, the drama on and off the pitch continues! The National Theatre’s production enjoyed a nine-week running streak at the Olivier Theatre earlier this year, and now a host new players have joined the critically acclaimed team.
It has today been confirmed that Dervla Kirwan (Smother, Material Girl) will play the role of Pippa Grange, the sports psychologist who brought a winning mentality to the men’s squad. She will join the previously announced Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid's Tale, The Mother) as the waistcoat wonder, Gareth Southgate. Dear England’s first game kicks off at the Prince Edward Theatre on 9 October, with the season ending in January 2024. Grab your match day tickets now!
The cast and creatives of Dear England
Joining Kirwan and Fiennes in the dugout will be Denzel Baidoo as Bukayo Saka, Josh Barrow as Jordan Pickford, Gunnar Cauthery as Gary Lineker, Will Close as Harry Kane, Crystal Condie as Alex Scott, Will Fletcher as Jordan Henderson, Darragh Hand as Marcus Rashford, John Hodgkinson as Greg Clarke, Lloyd Hutchinson as Sam Allardyce, Albert Magashi as Jadon Sancho, Kel Matsena as Raheem Sterling, Lewis Shepherd as Dele Alli, Griffin Stevens as Harry Maguire, Paul Thornley as Mike Webster, Tony Turner as Greg Dyke, and Ryan Whittle as Eric Dier.
Nick Barclay, Tashinga Bepete, Kate Kelly Flood, Will Harrison-Wallace, Miranda Heath, Tom Mahy, and Tristan Waterson complete the company.
Following their acclaimed productions of Tammy Faye and Ink at the Almeida Theatre, writer James Graham (Best of Enemies) and director Rupert Goold (Judy) have reunited for this gripping examination of nation and game. They are joined by set designer, Es Devlin; costume designer Evie Gurney; lighting designer, Jon Clark; movement directors, Ellen Kane and Hannes Langolf; sound designers, Dan Balfour and Tom Gibbons, with additional music by Max Perryment and video designer, Ash J Woodward. The casting director is Bryony Jarvis Taylor; voice coach is Cathleen McCarron and dialect coach is Richard Ryder. Associate director is Elin Schofield, associate set designer is Will Brown, associate lighting designer is Ben Jacobs, associate sound designer is Alex Twiselton and resident director is Rasheka Christie-Carter.
What is Dear England about?
Questionable haircuts, painful penalty shootouts and ASL injuries galore, the England men’s football team has had it all. The one thing they’re missing? A trophy.
England invented the game over 150 years ago. Now it’s time to change it. With the worst track record for penalties in the world, England’s manager, Gareth Southgate, must change the well-known script, but how? Encouraging his players to train their minds to improve the teams outlook, will Southgates new approach end over 50 years of hurt, and to take his team and country back to the promised land?
Tickets for Dear England are available now!
There are no 0-0 draws here, book your tickets to the most dramatic game of the season.
