Casting Announced for National Tour of Olivier Award-Winning Dear England

Written by James Graham (Sherwood, BBC One) and directed by Rupert Goold (Patriots, Ink), the Olivier Award-winning Best New Play charts Southgate’s transformative leadership of the England men’s football team. It broke box office records during its West End run in 2023 and will arrive at Milton Keynes Theatre from 20–24 January 2026 as part of a UK-wide tour in partnership with JAS Theatricals.

David Sturzaker is best known for his role as Simon Bond in Doctors (BBC One), with stage credits including Journey’s End, To Kill a Mockingbird and A Doll’s House. Samantha Womack is widely recognised for her role as Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders, and has starred in major TV shows and West End productions including 42nd Street, The Addams Family, and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

Further casting will be announced soon.

Dear England is “gripping, moving and funny… as good as theatre gets” (★★★★ The Sunday Times) and will visit 16 venues from September 2025 to March 2026. The story explores Southgate’s bold new approach to leadership as he confronts England’s long history of heartbreak—particularly its penalty woes—and aims to inspire lasting change on and off the pitch.

Actor David Sturzaker, who will play 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 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 creative team also includes set designer Es Devlin, costume designer Evie Gurney, lighting designer Jon Clark, video designer Ash J Woodward, sound designers Dan Balfour and Tom Gibbons, and co-movement directors Ellen Kane and Hannes Langolf. The tour will be supported by a revival team including Connie Treves (tour director), Tom Herron (movement), and resident director Dan Hutton.

Alongside the production, the National Theatre is launching a year-long schools programme inspired by Southgate’s 2021 Dear England open letter. Timed with the 80th anniversary of WWII’s end, the project will reach over 10,000 students through assemblies, workshops and performances—encouraging young people to reflect on their place in history and express their hopes for the future. The programme culminates in a nationwide sound archive and time capsule for 2025–26.

Dear England premiered at the National Theatre in June 2023 before transferring to the West End’s Prince Edward Theatre, where it broke box office records. The play was screened nationwide via National Theatre Live in January 2024 and is being adapted for BBC One and iPlayer. It returned to the National Theatre in 2025 with new material reflecting the UEFA EURO 2024 tournament and Southgate’s final chapter as England manager.

The 2025/26 tour is supported by Arts Council England’s Incentivising Touring scheme, helping major productions reach regional audiences across the country.