DEAR ENGLAND to embark on highly anticipated nationwide tour
Photo credit: Marc Brenner
The National Theatre has announced a highly anticipated tour of its smash-hit production Dear England, which opens at Theatre Royal Plymouth on 15 September.
Written by the multi-award-winning stage and screen writer, James Graham and directed by the Almeida Theatre’s Artistic Director Rupert Goold, Dear England tells the uplifting, at times heartbreaking, and ultimately inspiring story of Gareth Southgate’s revolutionary tenure as England manager in this gripping examination of nation and game. The Olivier Award-winning ‘Best New Play’ will tour to 16 venues across England from September 2025 - 14 March 2026.
Following Plymouth, Dear England will then visit Nottingham, Canterbury, Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle, Chichester, Southampton, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Norwich, Woking, Bradford, Wimbledon, Liverpool, and Birmingham.
Playwright James Graham said: "I am beyond delighted and grateful that Dear England is heading out on a nation-wide tour across England. To put the national game on the stage of the National Theatre and then into the West End back in 2023 was an utter dream. Now, to head out on a nationwide tour feels like winning the treble. As someone from a community that had limited access to culture growing up, I'm especially aware of how vital it is to share work of such a scale beyond the capital. And as a lifelong theatre and England fan, the chance to tell a story about the beautiful game and through the prism of Gareth Southgate's transformative term has been a privilege. I think he has been a remarkable leader, and it fills me with great excitement and joy that we get to share Rupert's euphoric and entertaining production, with all its incredible movement and music, once more with audiences around the country."
It’s time to change the game. The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. The England men’s 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.
Director Rupert Goold is joined on the creative team by set designer Es Devlin, costume designer Evie Gurney, lighting designer Jon Clark, co-movement directors Ellen Kane and Hannes Langolf, video designer Ash J Woodward, co-sound designers Dan Balfour and Tom Gibbons, with additional music by Max Perryment.
Dear England will be staged at the National Theatre from 10 March-24 May 2025, followed by a 4-week run at the Lowry in Salford from 29 May-29 June 2025. The play has been updated following the 2024 UEFA EURO tournament to reflect Gareth Southgate’s final chapter as England manager, and Gwilym Lee (SAS Rogue Heroes, Bohemian Rhapsody) will play the iconic role of Southgate. Casting for the tour is to be announced.