Dear England - Review!

I attended the press night for Dear England, despite not being a football fan, and it has truly shone the sport in such a stunning light. The play followed the journey of the England team in their desire to win the world cup. The performance was so clean, from the acting, to the transitions and physical movement, it felt like a level of perfection and precision that was unmatched.

I did find the start of the play quite slow and difficult to become emotionally invested and connect with the characters, however I do blame my lack of football knowledge for this. Fortunately, I had my dad sat next to me whispering the importance behind each character.

I adored the character of Dr Grange played by Samantha Womack. Her character brought such an important insight into men’s mental health, a topic which is so important to raise awareness on. The whole show had a touch of wholesomeness which shows the result you get when you unite and work as a team, which was a very powerful message behind it. You may go into this show expecting a silly football show, but you leave feeling impacted and moved by the many important topics covered.

Staging wise, I loved the use of the ring with the electric screen on it to display images and words, this felt so immersive! I also adored the circular stage.

The atmosphere that the actors created during the match was amazing, truly encapsulating what it feels like to be at one, and keeping the audience on the edge of their seats eager to find out the result. I was truly hooked during every “match” despite the fact that there was no physical football being used i was still deeply immersed into the match. They made their kicks so believable!

An absolute stand out for me was Courtney George when she played Theresa May, absolutely HILARIOUS! She stole the limelight in such a positive way every single time she came on stage. And also, you truly realise how long ago covid was when they start putting it in plays as a historical moment??? It didn’t feel that long ago to me.

I never know how I feel about the title of the show being said in the show, as I often feel it’s not executed well, but I LOVED the way it was said in this show, so impactful.

This is definitely not a show to miss, whether you are a football lover, or know nothing about it like me.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

{gifted invite 🎟️}