As Lionnesses roar to victory at Euros – Gareth Southgate play Dear England hits Leeds Grand Theatre and Bradford Alhambra

Leading the cast of the National Theatre’s hit Dear Engalnd will be David Sturzaker 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 are promised to be brought to their feet for this inspiring, at times

heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting story of Gareth Southgate’s revolutionary tenure as England

manager.

The Olivier Award-winning Best New Play, will be at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday November 4 to Saturday November 8 and

at the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, from Tueday November 17 to Saturday February 21.

Dear England is written by the multi-award-winning stage and screen writer, James Graham, directed by the Almeida Theatre’s artistic director Rupert Goold.

David Sturzaker is best known for playing Simon Bond in BBC One’s Doctors.

Samantha Womack is best known for playing Ronnie Mitchell in BBC One’s EastEnders.

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.

Actor David Sturzaker who will play the role of Gareth Southgate 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.”

Actress, Samantha Womack, who will play the role of Pippa Grange 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 National Theatre will run a year-long schools engagement programme inspired by Gareth Southgate’s Dear England open letter that he wrote to England fans in 2021.

The programme, which will prompt young people across the UK to reflect on their own place in history, just as the footballers in Southgate’s squad were encouraged to do, is in response to this year being the 80th anniversary of the Second World War.

Tickets for Leeds Grand Theatre on https://leedsheritagetheatres.com/whats-on

Tickets for Bradford Alhambra on https://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk