What’s in a game? ‘Dear England’ probes the nation through the lens of its soccer team

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Outside of families, few relationships are as intense as those between sports teams and their fans. In the case of England’s bond with its national team, it’s not always been healthy. James Graham’s play “Dear England” looks at the state of the nation through the ups and downs of England’s men’s soccer team. The play stars Joseph Fiennes as coach Gareth Southgate, who has transformed the team’s attitude and image since taking the helm in 2016. Graham says he wants to use soccer “to make sense of the national moment.” The show was a hit at the National Theatre earlier this year and has just opened in London’s West End. It runs until January.