The National Theatre has announced that its production of James Graham’s award-winning play Dear England is to tour the UK in 2026.
Dear England is returning to the National Theatre in London next month, running from 10 March to 24 May 2025.
Also, already announced is a four-week run at the Lowry theatre in Salford, from 29 May to 29 June 2025.
The show will then tour the UK in late 2025 and into 2026, including Plymouth, Nottingham, Canterbury, Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle, Chichester, Southampton, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Norwich, Woking, Bradford, London Wimbledon, Liverpool, and Birmingham. See dates below.
The cast of the London and Salford runs will star Gwilym Lee (SAS Rogue Heroes, Bohemian Rhapsody) as former England manager Gareth Southgate, with Liz White (Life on Mars, Ackley Bridge, The Long Shadow) as Pippa Grange – sports psychologist and Head of People and Team Development at The Football Association from 2017 to 2019.
Returning company members include Josh Barrow as Jordan Pickford, Gunnar Cauthery as Gary Lineker, Tony Turner as Greg Dyke, John Hodgkinson as Greg Clarke and Ryan Whittle as Harry Kane; with new cast members Matt Bardock as Mike Webster, Jude Carmichael as Marcus Rashford, Gamba Cole as Raheem Sterling, Ryan Donaldson as Harry Maguire, Felixe Forde as Alex Scott, Kadell Herida as Jadon Sancho, Joshua Hill as Jordan Henderson, Martin Marquez as Sam Allardyce, Tane Siah as Bukayo Saka and Tristan Waterson as Dele Alli.
Also joining the company are Jass Beki, Courtney George, Will Harrison-Wallace, Jordan Ford Silver, Philip Labey and Ellouise Shakespeare-Hart. The cast will also be playing additional roles as part of the ensemble.
Casting for the autumn tour is to be announced.
Dear England is written by playwright James Graham (Punch, Sherwood) and directed by the outgoing artistic director of the Almeida and incoming artistic director of The Old Vic, Rupert Goold (Patriots, Ink).
The Olivier Award-winning Best Play is an epic examination of nation and game, which has been updated following the 2024 UEFA EURO tournament to reflect Gareth Southgate’s final chapter as England manager.
The wider creative team for Dear England includes set designer Es Devlin, 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, additional music by Max Perryment, revival director Elin Schofield, casting director Bryony Jarvis-Taylor, dialect coach Richard Ryder, voice coaches Cathleen McCarron and Tasmin Newlands, associate lighting designer Ben Jacobs, associate sound designer Johnny Edwards and staff director Connie Treves.
The autumn tour is a co-production with JAS Theatricals.
Playwright James Graham said in a statement: “I am beyond delighted and grateful that Dear England is heading out on a nation-wide tour across England. To put the national game on the stage of the National Theatre and then into the West End back in 2023 was an utter dream. Now, to head out on a nationwide tour feels like winning the treble. As someone from a community that had limited access to culture growing up, I’m especially aware of how vital it is to share work of such a scale beyond the capital. And as a lifelong theatre and England fan, the chance to tell a story about the beautiful game and through the prism of Gareth Southgate’s transformative term has been a privilege. I think he has been a remarkable leader, and it fills me with great excitement and joy that we get to share Rupert’s euphoric and entertaining production, with all its incredible movement and music, once more with audiences around the country.”
Dear England is playing at the Olivier Theatre of the National Theatre from 10 March to 24 May 2025.
Also playing this year, is James Graham’s new drama Punch, which is transferring to London’s Young Vic theatre in March 2025.
Book tickets to Dear England at the National Theatre London
Dear England – UK Tour 2025 & 2026
National Theatre London
10 March to 24 May 2025
Salford Lowry Theatre
29 May to 29 June 2025
Plymouth – Theatre Royal
15 to 20 September 2025
Nottingham – Theatre Royal
23 to 27 September 2025
Canterbury – Marlowe Theatre
7 to 18 October 2025
Sheffield – Lyceum Theatre
21 to 25 October 2025
Leeds – Grand Theatre
4 to 8 November 2025
Newcastle – Theatre Royal
11 to 15 November 2025
Chichester – Festival Theatre
20 to 29 November 2025
Southampton – Mayflower Theatre
13 to 17 January 2026
Milton Keynes – Milton Keynes Theatre
20 to 24 January 2026
Oxford – New Theatre
27 to 31 January 2026
Norwich – Theatre Royal
3 to 7 February 2026
Woking – New Victoria Theatre
10 to 14 February 2026
Bradford – Alhambra Theatre
17 to 21 February 2026
Wimbledon – New Wimbledon Theatre
24 to 28 February 2026
Liverpool – Empire Theatre
3 to 7 March 2026
Birmingham – Hippodrome
10 to 14 March 2026
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