I was only a child when England won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, but I can still remember the euphoria in the UK. The England football team hasn’t hit those heights since; in fact, it has one of the worst penalty shootout records in the world.

James Graham’s uplifting, feel-good yet thoughtful play Dear England looks at why, and traces the changes to the team’s training regime under the inspirational leadership of Gareth Southgate, the England football manager since 2016.

Joseph Fiennes and the cast of Dear England. Photo © Marc Brenner

Directed by Rupert Goold, and starring Joseph Fiennes as Southgate, Dear England premiered at London’s National Theatre in June 2023, then transferred to the West End in October. Filmed live on stage at the National for NT Live, it screens in selected Australian cinemas from 9 February, presented by Sharmill Films.

The play opens with Southgate – then playing for England – missing a penalty at the 1996 Euro semifinals, causing England to be knocked out of the competition. It then jumps 20 years to 2016, with Southgate replacing the ousted Sam Allardyce as England’s manager.

Convinced there is something...