Just back from the National Theatre to see Dear England: absolutely brilliant. I wanted to stay for the evening performance. A play about Gareth Southgates' tenure as England Football Manager. Wouldn't matter if you didn't know anything about the last few years of the Mens' team, just brilliantly witty, poignant, well acted view of ridiculous expectations and the affect and effect of the physchology of not only sport, but being a human in a high profile arena, for Southgate, the back room staff and the players.
Joseph Fiennes as Southgate pulls him off to a tee, the rest of the cast ably support him. Special mentions for the guy playing Jordan Pickford, who is quite simply brilliant, and the actor playing Harry Kane who may feel slightly sleighted by the way he is portrayed but it's brilliant to watch. Sadly only on until 11th August and pretty much sold out, but if it tours, please go and see it. Standing ovation from the entire audience, and of course, obliged to join the cast in rousing version of Sweet Caroline which in other circumstances, that song would grate, but not this afternoon.