Dear England, a new play about Gareth Southgate, the manager of the England men's football team, has scored, according to theater critics.
At London's National Theatre, the play—in which Joseph Fiennes plays the leader of England—premiered on Tuesday night.
It draws inspiration from Southgate's development since his infamous penalty miss at Euro 96 and how he contributed to shifting ideas about masculinity for the present-day squad.
The Shakespeare in Love actor, according to The Telegraph, "mesmerises" as Southgate.
Dominic Cavendish, the book's reviewer, gave it five stars and said that playwright James Graham, whose screenwriting credits also include Quiz, Sherwood, and the Crown, "brilliantly captures the blokey awkwardness within our wider national story," had also written the book.
'What starts as a useful recap of how Southgate has reengineered the England squad's sense of itself (as well as its personnel) builds not only into a gripping drama but one that valuably glances at the confusions of our wider national story,' the author wrote.
"Fiennes achieved a mesmeric intellectual intensity, hands deep in pockets or delicately gesticulating, as the Bard in Shakespeare in Love, that makes Southgate seem almost like Shakespeare's inheritor, weaving dreams for us all," he continued.
The "pitch-perfect" Southgate portrayal "brings the game home," according to Clive Davis of the Times, who gave it a four-star rating. ".
He scores after shooting. James Graham's brisk portrayal of Gareth Southgate's tenure as England's football manager is a delightful example of populist theater, the author said. There is pain, joy, and an unexpectedly large amount of humor. ".
In the documentary Dear England, which takes its name from Southgate's letter to the fans, the racism directed at black players who miss penalties, the Covid-19 pandemic, and Brexit are also discussed.
In the fourth quarter, Davis observed that there was "a little bit too much politically correct preaching.". And I could have done without the political parodies of Liz Truss, Boris Johnson, and Theresa May, the three former prime ministers. Through what he shows us of Southgate himself, Graham eloquently illustrates his points regarding the importance of compassion and solidarity. ".
Another five-star review was given by What's on Stage, with author Sarah Crompton referring to it as "the beautiful game in a beautiful play.". She claimed that the "thread that ties the play together" is the fear of the penalty.
It's a thrilling piece that you hope might just persuade theatergoers of the value of football, and football fans will see to understand just how exciting theatre can be, she wrote. Both energy and tenderness are in great supply in the production. ".
She continued, "Graham is unblinking about the brutality of the decisions and responsibilities that come with playing professional sport, and he doesn't exempt Southgate from criticism. Sometimes the writing becomes mired in incident—the woman sitting next to me was perplexed by the specifics of the OneLove armband ban in Qatar—and in its own metaphors.
However, as a drama, it is completely engrossing, full of turns and turns, vivid characters, appropriate conflicts, and great lines. ".
Graham's "touching" and "funny" play, which, according to Arifa Akbar of The Guardian, delivers "tension and movement," was well received.
She only offered three stars though and mentioned having one or two reservations. Even though it's endearing, the Rupert Goold-directed production "takes time to really lift off the ground, focusing on story rather than drama in the first half - and it does seem like a game of two halves," she continued.
"There is power in witnessing the history of football told on the National Theatre's largest stage, with stirring moments in the second half, and it is stunning from beginning to end in its optics. Even though it doesn't quite bend it like Beckham, it succeeds in the end. ".
Both Pippa Grange, a sports psychologist, and Southgate's standout players are portrayed in Dear England.
Nick Curtis of The Evening Standard gave Graham and Goold's interpretation of England's most recent highs and lows a four-star review and called it "a brilliant fusion of sport and art.".
There isn't much room for in-depth character development, but Josh Barrow and Will Close are hilarious as [Harry] Kane and [Jordan] Pickford, and Darragh Hand and Kel Matsena are quietly moving as [Marcus] Rashford and [Raheem] Sterling, respectively.
"There's a goalmouth scramble at the end to fit in the Lionesses' victory over Qatar and the 2022 Euros controversy. Nothing changes. This work is exhilarating, as Graham always intends for his plays to be popular and political, and it was a flawless team effort. ".
Speaking to the BBC in February, Graham expressed his hope to explore "the identity of a football team and a country" and promised that the play would highlight the "gentle revolution" in the team's culture under Southgate.
According to the award-winning author, what has happened to the men's England football team over the past six years has been "quietly extraordinary.".
We are just now beginning to fully comprehend Gareth's gentle revolution, but it has been humming along in the background. ".
Later on, the actor Fiennes emphasized that Southgate possessed "a sort of moral integrity and compass. ".
"You can imagine that he wants to free himself and give players their voice because he was raised as a young player in a very toxic male environment. ".
The National Theatre in London is hosting Dear England through August 11.
