Review: Dear England hits the back of the net at Milton Keynes Theatre

Relive the full rollercoaster of emotions and pure passion for the beautiful game as Dear England arrives at Milton Keynes Theatre this week.

Following a record-breaking run in the West End in 2023, James Graham's Olivier Award-winning play is now on tour, visiting 16 venues across England, in a co-production with Josh Andrews and Stuart Galbraith for JAS Theatricals.

With the national side suffering a humiliating defeat to Iceland at Euro 2016, it felt like even Tom Cruise would turn down this Mission Impossible – taking on a team of stars which had somehow hit rock bottom despite all their talent.

Dear England picks up the story of how Gareth Southgate instilled a new mentality into the squad which was weighed down by expectation, pressure and a long back catalogue of failures.

Heading the cast is David Sturzaker, fantastic as the waistcoat wearing England manager who stumbles into the top job because the FA had few other options it seems (but I’m not sure they’d forgiven his Euro 96 semi final penalty miss against the Germans!).

He initially comes across as hesitant fish out of water, but he’s determined to discover the deep-rooted reasons behind the national team’s failure to even come close to emulating that magificent 1966 World Cup win on home soil.

Enter team psychologist Pippa Grange (Samantha Womack) who is charged with winning over the sceptics in the dressing room and ultimately helping the players overcome their demons.

All the big name footballers of the era are represented here – with many of the actors getting the mannerisms of their characters spot on.

You had to smile with admiration as Oscar Gough spoke just like Harry Kane, Connor Hawker oozed Harry Maguire enthusiasm and Jack Maddison was passionate and slightly crazy as keeper Jordan Pickford.

There were stacks of famous faces popping up throughout the play. It was hilarious to see former England managers Sven-Goran Eriksson, Graham Taylor, Fabio Capello and one-game wonder Sam Allardyce make an appearance.

And then we had Ian Kirkby doing Match of the Day’s Gary Lineker (although he did look a bit more like Kier Starmer!), plus Boris Johnson, Theresa May, and a brilliant England Women’s boss Sarina Weigman (Courtney George) who gleefully rubbed Southgate’s nose in the fact that the ladies had won a trophy.

All of Southgate’s and Pippa’s hard work pays off as pride is finally restored in the national team – who even manage to win a World Cup penalty shoot-out along the way.

But as you’ll know if you’re a football fan, the glory of tournament silverware remains elusive in 2026, so this story doesn’t quite have a perfect happy ending.

There’s also a more serious side amongst all the fun and games as the racism repeatedly suffered by England’s black players is tackled head on.

The play features a sprinkling of clips of historic action, plus football anthems such as Vindaloo, Sweet Caroline, World in Motion and Three Lions.

It meant I came out of the theatre with renewed energy and belief that 60 years of hurt might finally come to an end in America this summer.

As the show concluded, Dear England had the appreciative audience up on their feet as one as if we were celebrating a Harry Kane winning goal in July’s World Cup final.

Performances run until Saturday (January 24) with tickets available now via ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes.