[9] In the next scene, Southgate is announced as the new caretaker manager for the England national men's football team, as members of the public – including builders, barristers, and YouTubers – react.

[11] The play's many comical caricatures include former England managers Sven-Göran Eriksson, Graham Taylor, and Fabio Capello; former players and commentators Gary Lineker and Matt Le Tissier; and British prime ministers Theresa May, Boris Johnson, and Liz Truss.

The premiere of Dear England received positive reviews overall,[10] with the BBC News saying that the show had "hit the back of the net" according to theatre critics,[2] and The Observer noting that "there were a couple of five-star raves and lots of football-ese puns".

"[8] The set design by Es Devlin, featuring oval rings of light on an expansive stage, was described by Akbar as "incredible...simply yet excellently signifying a stadium",[5] while Nick Curtis of the Evening Standard said that it "powerfully expresses the isolation and exposure of the football pitch.

[22] Calling Fiennes's performance "magnificent", Jason Cowley observed in The New Statesman that, "Not only does he closely resemble the bearded, waistcoat-clad England manager, he expertly captures the flatness of his accent, the awkwardness of his Everyman persona, the twitches and rapid blinking, as well as the thoughtfulness and decency.

[26] Time Out critic Andrzej Lukowski called out Close's Kane as "extremely funny...as affable as he is inarticulate" and also praised Gunnar Cauthery's turn as Gary Lineker.

[18] Meanwhile, Steve Dinneen wrote in City A.M. that "Will Close is also excellent as Harry Kane, his impression of a man apparently devoid of personality initially bordering on the cruel but turning full circle as the player's heart and mettle are shown.

"[24] Alistair Smith of The Stage argued that the deliberate caricatures, also of politicians and other public figures, do "result in some jarring tonal shifts, as the piece veers from serious introspection to something closer to pantomime and back again".