Initial casting announced for national tour of DEAR ENGLAND
The National Theatre has announced initial casting news for its highly anticipated national tour of Dear England, which will tour to 16 venues across England, opening at Theatre Royal Plymouth on 15 September.
Leading the cast will be David Sturzaker (Doctors, BBC) as England manager Gareth Southgate, with Eastenders and Mount Pleasant actress Samantha Womack playing the role of team psychologist Pippa Grange. Football and non-football fans alike will be brought to their feet for this inspiring, at times heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting story of Gareth Southgate’s revolutionary tenure as England manager.
Further casting is to be announced.
Dear England is written by the multi-award-winning stage and screen writer, James Graham, and directed by the Almeida Theatre’s Artistic Director Rupert Goold, with set design by Es Devlin.
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.
David Sturzaker said: "I'm thrilled to be taking on the role of Gareth Southgate. It's a great responsibility and an honour to be playing him. He’s been an inspiring figurehead for many, rebuilding a team, and the country’s self-belief at what is possible, on and off, the football pitch. This is one of the aspects of the play that resonates most for me - the ability of football, and sport in general, to extend its reach beyond the game, to unite us and inspire us in our lives beyond the sport itself. It's also hugely exciting to be involved in a production that has already been such a hit in London and Salford. I'm looking forward to taking Dear England on tour across the country, giving many more people the opportunity to see this fantastic show.”
Samantha Womack said: "I am so excited to be returning to the stage to perform in Dear England. It's a wonderful piece of theatre - entertaining and thought-provoking as well as incredibly staged. I am also fascinated by Pippa Grange and her impact on England men's team during her term as Head of People and Team Development at the Football Association during Gareth Southgate’s tenure. She fundamentally changed the culture and, in turn, the course of sporting history by teaching the squad to embrace their fears and she's an extremely inspiring role to take on. I can't wait to delve in and get back to touring around the country with this fantastic show."
The wider creative team for Dear England includes 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, tour revival director Connie Treves, revival movement director Tom Herron, and casting director Bryony Jarvis-Taylor CDG.
To book tickets for Dear England at select touring venues, please click here.