Review: Mayflower Theatre's Dear England is a triumph

Under James Graham’s sharp writing, the game becomes a captivating narrative - full of drama, heartbreak, and hope in Dear England.

I’ll admit, I’m not a football fan and struggled to recognise the club shirts featured in Dear England. Sure, I tuned in for the Euros 2020 final with friends, and cheered on the Lionesses in 2022 and 2025, but I don’t support a particular team and I’m not sure that’s about to change anytime soon.

But lacking encyclopaedic knowledge of the men’s game didn’t stop me from enjoying this play. Something I could hear being echoed around me.

A scene from Dear England (Image: Marc Brenner)

It’s hardly surprising considering James Graham, famed for BBC’s Sherwood and ITV’s Quiz, is at the helm. The Olivier Award-winning production from the National Theatre is absolute class. From the words to the staging, the tech and even the choreography, it is simply a masterpiece of theatre. With a few plastic chairs, wooden lockers and bright lights, the audience is effortlessly transported from pitch to pitch.  

The journey begins in 1996, as Gareth Southgate endures the heartbreak of missing a decisive penalty against Germany, an event that shapes his future as England manager and his mission to transform the team’s culture.

We meet a team in turmoil, struggling with trust, camaraderie, and the crushing weight of expectation. The fear of failure looms large, and it’s clear something must change. 

Dear England proved far more emotional than anticipated. Act one tracks the battle to break the ‘penalty curse’, while the second delves into deeper issues, including the racism England’s players endured, particularly after that bitter final in the Euros 2020.

This play doesn’t sugar-coat its subjects. Instead, Dear England reveals how the men’s team is woven into our national identity and behaviour. In a country so desperate to win, the team seemed doomed - until mental health was finally given priority. 

The play, while showing us a fictional behind-the-scenes, also appears to teach the audience a lesson about public expectation, we are part of the problem too. The team need to learn how to lose, but so do the fans. In response to losses, we are repeatedly shown how fans respond in anger, hurting their communities and hurling insults at players. It tells us a story of football, but it also helps raise awareness of men's mental health, and the struggles many men still face.

Dear England is witty, moving, and profoundly insightful. Simply put, it’s a triumph - an absolute must-see. 

It is at Mayflower Theatre until Saturday, Jaunary 17. Tickets can be purchased online at mayflower.org.uk or by calling 02380 711811.