Joseph Fiennes to star as England manager Gareth Southgate at National Theatre

Joseph Fiennes is to play England men's shot manager Gareth Southgate successful a caller play astir the unit of penalties astatine the National Theatre.

Writer James Graham said Dear England would item the "gentle revolution" successful the team's civilization nether Southgate.

It is inspired by Southgate's travel since his infamous punishment miss for England successful 1996, and however helium has fed into changing notions of masculinity.

Graham hopes to analyse "the individuality of a shot squad and the country".

"I deliberation what has happened to the men's England shot squad implicit the past six years has been softly extraordinary," the award-winning writer told BBC News.

"It's been humming on successful the background, but we're lone starting to truly recognize present Gareth's gentle revolution."

Southgate took connected the relation erstwhile the England squad was astatine its "absolute lowest ebb" in 2016 amid an "existential situation astir wherefore we'd mislaid our way" and against the backdrop of the Brexit vote, Graham said.

The caller manager began to "ask large questions astir identity" and astir however his players could escaped themselves of the burdens of the past, peculiarly regarding England's atrocious grounds successful punishment shoot-outs.

"What makes it Shakespearean evidently it goes backmost to his infinitesimal successful [Euro] 1996, erstwhile helium felt each the value of that past and the unit and expectations connected the infinitesimal that helium missed that penalty," the writer said.

The play volition unfastened astatine the National's Olivier Theatre successful June.

While the parts of players similar Marcus Rashford and Harry Kane are yet to beryllium cast, the producers person called up 1 large planetary name, successful the signifier of Hollywood prima Fiennes.

The histrion - similar Southgate, a 52-year-old Englishman - received a Bafta information for his portrayal of the Bard successful the Oscar-winning movie Shakespeare successful Love, and has besides starred successful The Handmaid's Tale.

"Joseph is 1 of our large actors, and helium hasn't been connected signifier for a while," Graham said.

"We benignant of joked unneurotic - him, maine and the manager - that your instrumentality to signifier would usually beryllium Henry V oregon King Lear, not Gareth!

"But I bash deliberation it has that scale, that epic quality, his journey, successful the improbable fig of Gareth Southgate. I anticipation that's what drew Joseph to the part."

Dear England volition spot him backmost astatine the National Theatre for the archetypal clip successful 10 years, since helium enactment connected his career-changing Parliamentary play This House.

"I consciousness that pressure," helium said. "I subordinate to however the players and Gareth indispensable consciousness successful presumption of expectation, due to the fact that putting the nationalist crippled connected the signifier astatine the National Theatre is evidently rather presumptuous.

"But with the squad we've surrounded ourselves with, it each feels possible."

Dear England volition beryllium directed by Rupert Goold, and National Theatre creator manager Rufus Norris described it arsenic "a captivating introspection into the analyzable science of the overmuch loved beauteous game".

The Football Association declined to remark connected the caller play, though Graham said helium and his accumulation squad person had their ain backstage talks.

The amusement volition travel six months aft England were knocked retired of the World Cup by France successful the quarter-finals, with Kane missing a precocious penalty. Southgate has said helium volition enactment arsenic England brag until aft Euro 2024.

It's "great to beryllium penning a communicative that hasn't finished", Graham said. "My acquisition of watching England spell retired to this past World Cup, it was a multitude of conflicting feelings erstwhile I was sat determination successful the pub.

"Because evidently I was waiting for the ending of my story, truthful portion I was sat determination grieving England's nonaccomplishment astir my mates, I was besides going, 'What does it mean for my story? What does it accidental astir their journey? Is this good? Is it bad?'

"None of my mates astir maine knew I was penning this play truthful I deliberation they were wondering wherefore I was sat silently staring into my pint trying to marque consciousness of it all."

Meanwhile, the National Theatre has besides announced a transportation of Lyndsey Turner's accumulation of The Crucible to the Gielgud Theatre successful the West End this summer.

Dear England volition tally astatine the National Theatre from 10 June to 11 August. Tickets spell connected merchantability connected 9 March.