James Graham's DEAR ENGLAND coming to Broadway Spring 2024, dir. Rupert Goold? (casting notice)

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/20/23 at 8:06pm

Here is the EPA listing, which indicates that an announcement should be imminent –– though of course things can change rapidly.

After premiering at the National Theatre this past summer, it's currently running through January 13 at the West End's Prince Edward Theatre, starring Joseph Fiennes as football manager Gareth Southgate. Wagner Johnson Productions is the address on its SEC filing for Broadway (which could just be the GM or EP), filed earlier this month.

In London, it boasts a huge cast of 25 actors.


SYNOPSIS FROM LONDON:

It’s time to change the game. The smash-hit production of Dear England transfers to the West End this Autumn, following a sold-out run at the National Theatre. The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t England’s men win at their own game? The team has the worst track record for penalties in the world, and manager Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take team and country back to the promised land.

Joseph Fiennes portrayal of Gareth Southgate is ‘pitch-perfect’ (Time Out) in this ‘thrilling’ (Sunday Times) new play by James Graham, with set design by Es Devlin. Graham reunites with director Rupert Goold, following their acclaimed productions of Tammy Faye and Ink, in this gripping ’new stage epic’ (Telegraph) about both nation and game.

West End premiere season begins 9th October at the Prince Edward Theatre.

Please note this is a fictionalised account of the struggles and successes of England’s football teams, based on extensive research and interviews. It features characters inspired by some real-life individuals, and some composite characters entirely imagined by the author.

Website for the West End production

Updated On: 11/20/23 at 08:06 PM

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 11/20/23 at 8:11pm

 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 11/20/23 at 8:16pm

A post on the Palace Theatre thread is implying it's going there. To be followed by Tammy Faye, the other rumored tenant, which is another James Graham/Rupert Goold show?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/20/23 at 8:22pm

TaffyDavenport said: "A post on the Palace Theatre thread is implying it's going there."

I don't see that as implying anything? Just looks like a stray link posted with no context. Unless the poster would like to elaborate more.

Is the physical production massive for this? It's playing the 1700-seat Prince Edward Theatre in London and has a cast of 25. That would be a major risk on Broadway especially without a true star.

Updated On: 11/20/23 at 08:22 PM

[inception]

Posted: 11/20/23 at 9:53pm

Also who gives a fig about England's soccer team in N.America?  Sure some people watch soccer.  But are they also going to go to a play about soccer?  This sounds like a big money loser for Broadway. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/20/23 at 10:06pm

Interesting that another UK import will be coming in after the filmed NTLive broadcast is put out there. 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 11/20/23 at 10:07pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Interesting that another UK import will be coming in after the filmed NTLive broadcast is put out there."

Prima Facie did the same thing before crossing the pond. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/20/23 at 10:12pm

“Life of Pi”, as well.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/20/23 at 11:24pm

inception said: "Also who gives a fig about England's soccer team in N.America? Sure some people watch soccer. But are they also going to go to a play about soccer? This sounds like a big money loser for Broadway."

TED LASSO has done ok :) But this is a far different tone and will need to succeed on the merits of being a great play + interesting subject matter. It won't be an easy sell.

Anecdotally, this doesn't have nearly the level of London buzz as transfers like Prima Facie, Leopoldstadt, Lehman, Ferryman, Inheritance, Ink, even Life Of Pi. In my theater circles, things like The Motive and The Cue and Patriots might have more buzz than this.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 11/21/23 at 12:17am

truly weird. this is a very weird choice. 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 11/21/23 at 3:53am

Do they know that Broadway is not in England? The only way they can fill that theatre is if every British person in ny goes to see it. Unless they have a big start coming in. It’s also infuriating that something like this comes in and yet things like Downstate, English, Infinite Life, The Comeuppance, and so many truly terrific plays will probably never make it to Broadway. It’s a damn shame what has happened to new American plays in ny. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/21/23 at 10:07am

DEAR ENGLAND is also such a generic title. That's a title of a play that could be about anything, and English football wouldn't be among my first guesses.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 11/21/23 at 10:30am

My first guess on the title was a searing drama about the legacy of imperialism. Idiotic nationalism leading to Brexit. How privileged Etonians run the country to this day. Perhaps a reflection on how the dominance of "England" can lead to rifts in the Union, bringing on independence referendums such as the one in Scotland. Racism faced by the Windrush Generation maybe.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 11/21/23 at 10:36am

I just watched the trailer. Better than the plot synopsis offered above. At least it seems to deal with the serious issue of male pride, ego, pressure etc. Societal woes leading to suicidal thoughts. Toxic masculinity.

If it was just a glorification of a sports team I would have ZERO interest, but then again, neither would the National Theatre. I would hope.

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 11/21/23 at 12:38pm

As Here We Are is  about a lot more than a bunch of people looking for a place to eat, I suspect Dear England is about a lot more than a bunch of people playing football, the England in the title referring not just to the national team but also to the nation itself, with the coach and managers standing in for the lawmakers and the players for the people they govern. I'll know for sure next Thursday, when I see this at the matinee and Sunset Boulevard in the evening.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 11/21/23 at 3:55pm

I just remembered how this team used to wear Pride armbands during games to show support as allies.

Then came the World Cup 2022, hosted in Qatar. The armbands went into the trash can.

Yeah, you can definitely count me out.

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 12/8/23 at 3:24am

this is coming to broadway.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 12/8/23 at 10:01am

^What gave it away? The casting notice that we’ve all Been discussing? 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 12/8/23 at 11:14am

Jay Lerner-Z said: "I just remembered how this team used to wear Pride armbands during games to show support as allies.

Then came the World Cup 2022, hosted in Qatar. The armbands went into the trash can.

Yeah, you can definitely count me out."

 

That's OK -- we usually do.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/21/24 at 4:28pm

This will now become a Limited Series for the BBC.

Director Rupert Goold, writer James Graham, and star Joseph Fiennes will reunite for the project.

[blasvader]

Posted: 2/22/24 at 5:46pm

This is a very good play, elevated by Goold's direction, but James Graham should take a breather. I swear he turns out a project every month, and his recent tv series released Monday has got pretty poor reviews. 

[lopside]

Posted: 2/22/24 at 6:59pm

I am fairly certain he's already got a couple more things in the pipeline, one of them Tammy Faye, where they are said to be tweaking material

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 2/22/24 at 7:55pm

Will this play come to Broadway?

[lbftheatre]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 9:03am

It's still coming to Broadway, yes (as well as being adapted for TV).

 

blasvader said: "This is a very good play, elevated by Goold's direction, but James Graham should take a breather. I swear he turns out a project every month, and his recent tv series released Monday has got pretty poor reviews."

Graham has spoken a lot about his ongoing battle with work addiction and being in rehab for work addiction. I don't think he can stop.

 

Personally I liked his latest TV show a lot, and public word of mouth was good. The critics disliked it because it's so overly lefty and nearly all the British papers save the Guardian are very right wing (and Michael Sheen, whose passion project it was, is being slammed in the British press right now for his left-wing and anti-monarchy ideology). It's also strongly pro-Welsh and anti-English which is extremely controversial and always going to be unpopular. It's also an intentionally hyper-weird and surrealistic series and people aren't used to that anymore, since basically all serious UK drama nowadays is naturalistic. It's almost a throwback to British 1970s telly, like Penda's Fen.

[ggersten]

Posted: 7/10/24 at 5:14pm

The Southgate story continues to be written though Euro2024 - with England now through to the finals - living on the edge, penalty kicks - just a dream for a Producer! (if this still were coming to Broadway)