{"id":31331,"date":"2025-04-18T22:28:09","date_gmt":"2025-04-18T22:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/31331\/"},"modified":"2025-04-18T22:28:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T22:28:09","slug":"dear-england-heads-to-lowry-with-a-story-that-goes-well-beyond-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/31331\/","title":{"rendered":"Dear England heads to LOWRY with a story that goes well beyond football"},"content":{"rendered":"

Football may be the canvas, but what the National Theatre\u2019s smash-hit production Dear England paints is a story far deeper than sport alone<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fresh from its sell-out run at London\u2019s National Theatre and a record-breaking West End transfer, James Graham\u2019s Olivier Award-winning play arrives at LOWRY from 29th May to 29th June, bringing with it a deeply human portrait of belief, failure, and what it means to be part of something bigger than yourself.<\/p>\n

Dear England at LOWRY
\n\"DearLiz White (Dr Pippa Grange), Gwylim Lee (Gareth Southgate), Josh Barrow (Jordan Pickford), Jude Carmichel (Marcus Rashford)<\/p>\n

Set against the backdrop of Gareth Southgate\u2019s transformative reign as England manager, Dear England explores how a once-cursed national team dared to change, on and off the pitch<\/a>. Directed by Rupert Goold, the production captures more than just penalties and press conferences\u2014it\u2019s a powerful meditation on masculinity, identity, and collective healing.<\/p>\n

But don\u2019t just take our word for it. The cast, led by Gwilym Lee as Southgate, gave us a behind-the-scenes insight into the emotional and physical depth this show demands, and what it\u2019s like preparing for match day under the theatre\u2019s bright lights.<\/p>\n

For Gwilym Lee (Bohemian Rhapsody, SAS Rogue Heroes), portraying Southgate isn\u2019t about mimicry, it\u2019s about meaning.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not impersonators. We\u2019re actors,\u201d he said. \u201cThe aim is to try and find the humanity of the character, and a little of yourself in that too. This is very much my Gareth. I\u2019m not doing a Rory Bremner impression. That\u2019s a different craft.\u201d<\/p>\n

Playing a public figure still very much in the spotlight carries a unique pressure. But Gwilym approaches it with care: \u201cSo much is already there\u2014video, interviews, footage. But rather than copy him, I kept asking: why does he move like that? What drives him? And once you answer those questions, it\u2019s not just about physicality\u2014it becomes character.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gwilym\u2019s co-star Liz White (Life on Mars<\/a>) plays Dr Pippa Grange, the psychologist who helped shift the mindset of the England men\u2019s team. Liz was drawn to Grange\u2019s calm authority and her nuanced understanding of loss.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe talks about how to lose. That can sound defeatist, but it\u2019s not. It\u2019s reflective. It\u2019s about using loss to fuel the next step. I\u2019ve genuinely taken her words to heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

A cast of lions<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Returning to the role of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is Josh Barrow, who first played the Everton shot-stopper during the show\u2019s original run.<\/p>\n

\u201cPickford\u2019s got this energy\u2014like an engine at the back that never stops running,\u201d Josh said. \u201cBut the trick is not to turn him into a caricature. There\u2019s this version of him that we all see on the pitch. But I was interested in: Who is he in the locker room? What\u2019s he like at school? What\u2019s he like off-duty?\u201d<\/p>\n

Josh\u2019s performance captures both the raw intensity of a keeper in the zone and the vulnerability of a young man under pressure. \u201cYou can feel it. When the audience is holding their breath during the penalty scenes, even though they know the outcome\u2014it\u2019s electric.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jude Carmichael, making his stage debut as Marcus Rashford, agrees. \u201cEven though we\u2019re acting, you really do get swept up in it. You know what\u2019s coming, but it still hits. It\u2019s that blend of the personal and the collective, you feel it with the crowd.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jude is no stranger to high-stakes performance. \u201cI played basketball for England growing up. So the mindset\u2014the preparation, the pressure\u2014it all felt familiar. But this is my theatre debut, and honestly? It\u2019s been the most special experience of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

From the Olivier to LOWRY<\/p>\n

The production, which won Best New Play at the 2024 Olivier Awards, has been freshly updated to reflect Gareth Southgate\u2019s final chapter as manager. The Lowry dates form part of a much-anticipated regional tour and coincide with the venue\u2019s 25th anniversary celebrations.<\/p>\n

The Salford run will feature a four-week stint from 29th May to 29th June, including BSL, audio-described, and captioned performances to ensure it can be enjoyed by as many people as possible.<\/p>\n

And there\u2019s much to enjoy. Directed by Rupert Goold and written by the prolific James Graham (Sherwood, This House), Dear England has earned its reputation as a modern classic. From the inventive set design by Es Devlin to the movement direction by Ellen Kane and Hannes Langolf, every element evokes the spirit of a nation on the edge of triumph and heartbreak.<\/p>\n

\u201cFootball Is Just the Starting Point for Dear England\u201d<\/p>\n

As audiences will quickly discover, Dear England is far more than a sports story.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a great line in the play,\u201d said Liz. \u201cPippa says, \u2018It\u2019s not about being 1-0 up. It\u2019s about integrity. About going out there, doing the work, and standing tall no matter the outcome.\u2019 That\u2019s a win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josh echoes the sentiment: \u201cEveryone has that \u2018Wembley moment\u2019 in their own lives. Whether it\u2019s getting a book deal, nailing an interview, or just having the courage to show up. That universal feeling of achievement? That\u2019s what this play taps into.\u201d<\/p>\n

And yet, it\u2019s also deeply rooted in a collective British identity. One of the play\u2019s most moving segments recalls the pandemic and how the 2021 Euros offered a glimmer of togetherness after a dark period.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe needed it,\u201d said Gwilym. \u201cAnd when Southgate wrote his open letter to England, it was this galvanising call for unity. James Graham\u2019s script captures that perfectly\u2014the pride, the pain, and the belief that we\u2019re better when we come together.\u201d<\/p>\n

For all its emotional depth, Dear England knows when to let loose. Audiences often arrive unsure what to expect\u2014and leave dancing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not your typical theatre experience,\u201d laughed Jude. \u201cWe\u2019ve had actual football fans in the crowd, chanting, booing, cheering. It\u2019s wild\u2014but we feed off that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show culminates in a celebratory rendition of Sweet Caroline, a euphoric nod to the summer of 2021. \u201cIt turns into a party,\u201d said Josh. \u201cAnd the more the audience leans in, the more powerful it becomes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gwilym agrees: \u201cIn rehearsals, we talked about A\u2019s, B\u2019s, and C\u2019s\u2014football fans, theatre fans, and people who don\u2019t know either world. The play speaks to all of them. Some come for the sport and stay for the story. Others come for the story and leave loving the sport.\u201d<\/p>\n

A new kind of national storytelling<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The wider cast includes Liz White (Dr Pippa Grange), Josh Barrow (Jordan Pickford), Jude Carmichael (Marcus Rashford), and Ryan Whittle as Harry Kane, alongside new additions including Gamba Cole as Raheem Sterling, Ryan Donaldson as Harry Maguire, and Matt Bardock as Mike Webster.<\/p>\n

Together, they form a tight ensemble that shifts seamlessly between locker room banter and emotional reflection. Supported by a creative team of leading industry figures and backed by the National Theatre, Dear England is more than a play\u2014it\u2019s a national event.<\/p>\n

With a BBC drama adaptation in the works and a recent NT Live cinema release, the show continues to expand its reach. But for now, all eyes are on the Lowry.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Gladiatorial. It\u2019s Theatre. It\u2019s England.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Josh Barrow puts it, \u201cWhen you\u2019re standing there, about to take that penalty in front of a roaring crowd\u2014it\u2019s not just sport. It\u2019s gladiatorial. It\u2019s theatre.\u201d<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s the genius of Dear England. Whether you live and breathe the beautiful game or can\u2019t tell your Rashford from your Rooney, this play meets you where you are\u2014and lifts you up.<\/p>\n

At its core, it\u2019s about resilience. About learning how to lose. And about the possibility that\u2014just maybe\u2014next time, it\u2019ll be different.<\/p>\n

Because as Southgate once said, \u201cWhat we\u2019re a part of is an experience that lasts in the collective consciousness of our country.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Dear England is set to become just that.<\/p>\n

Tickets for Dear England at LOWRY<\/p>\n

Dear England runs from 29th May \u2013 29th June 2025 at the Lowry, Salford. You can get tickets by clicking here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Assisted performances:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Football may be the canvas, but what the National Theatre\u2019s smash-hit production Dear England paints is a story…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":31332,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8813],"tags":[748,18601,393,4884,18525,2465,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-31331","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-manchester","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-dear-england","10":"tag-england","11":"tag-great-britain","12":"tag-lowry","13":"tag-manchester","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114361329964443050","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31331"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31331\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31332"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}