In James Graham’s National Tour of Dear England (which is currently on a break until January), David Sturzaker is starring as Gareth Southgate in the fictionalised story of his time as the men’s England football team manager. Dear England is running until Saturday 14th March, and David works with a cast including Samantha Womack as Pippa Grange, Jass Beki as Bukayo Saka, Ashley Byam as Raheem Sterling, Jayden Hanley as Marcus Rashford and Liam Prince-Donnelly as Dele Alli. Previously, David was in the two-handed play Nineteen Gardens at Hampstead Theatre playing John opposite Olivia Le Anderson as Aga, and he was in the original West End cast of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Gielgud Theatre, in which he played Horace Gilmer. Before the COVID pandemic, David had been performing as Chris in the world premiere of Jack Shepherd’s play The Cutting Edge at Arcola Theatre, and as a screen actor, he played Henry in the sci-fi action adventure film Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die (with Sam Rockwell also in the cast), worked on an episode of Miss Scarlet as Julius Barratt, and he was part of the BBC medical soap opera Doctors as Dr. Simon Bond for his first TV job. David chatted to us about playing Gareth Southgate in Dear England, the two-hander play Nineteen Gardens, being in the original West End cast of To Kill a Mockingbird and his time as Dr. Simon Bond in Doctors.
Until Saturday 14th March 2026, you are starring as Gareth Southgate in the UK Tour of Dear England, how are you finding your time performing in the production so far and what are you enjoying most about touring?
I haven’t toured in a long time, and there are some venues that I’ve never visited before, so I’m looking forward to seeing some new places and also to making the production available to those who haven’t yet had the opportunity to see it.
How is it taking on the role of Gareth Southgate and what is it like telling the fictionalised story of his time as the England football manager?
It’s a fantastic role, and the way James Graham has written it provides an incredible journey for me to go on as an actor each time we step on stage.
How did you prepare for the production, and is there anything you find most challenging about the role?
Preparations always start with the script, and I’ll always return to the script when necessary. Beyond that, there is obviously a wealth of footage of Gareth Southgate to draw on and inform what I’m doing. The sheer range and scope of the role is in itself a challenge, though it is also this aspect that makes it so rewarding.
Can you tell us about Dear England, and what originally drew you to the show?
It’s a show that is obviously ostensibly about football, but from that starting point, and using football as a framework, it then explores universal themes. I was already well aware of the show as it had such an impact when it was first performed. When I learnt that a tour was imminent, I was thrilled to be considered.
How was it reading James Graham’s script for the first time and do you have a favourite scene in the play?
What struck me most about reading James’s script for the first time was how brilliantly it intertwines the serious with the comedic and how that juxtaposition serves to highlight both.
What is it like performing in a sports play about the England men’s football team and how different is it to your previous projects?
In that specific way, it is very different, but every project is unique in certain ways. In this case, it’s the energy of training drills and the tension of a penalty shootout. What remains the same though is the core of any job – to play the part truthfully within the context of the play.
Why would you recommend booking tickets to the current UK Tour of Dear England and who do you think the show will appeal to?
I think the play can appeal to everyone regardless of their interest in football. You’ll either come along and enjoy the football aspect or respond to the other themes, the story, relationships, and the general energy and humour of the production.
How did you find the experience working on the two-hander play Nineteen Gardens at Hampstead Theatre as John, where you starred opposite Olivia Le Andersen as Aga?
That was a really great job. It was a fascinating play, and working with Olivia and the director Alice Hamilton was wonderful. We had a great time and created what turned out to be a thought-provoking production.
In the original West End cast of To Kill a Mockingbird, which opened at the Gielgud Theatre in 2022, you played Horace Gilmer, what was the character like to play and how was it performing in the stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s 1960 novel?
Another fantastic opportunity and experience. To Kill a Mockingbird has always been one of my favourite novels, as it is for many people. What Aaron Sorkin did with the play text was extraordinary. It’s not easy to deliver the core of a story in a completely different medium, yet he achieved it. Playing Gilmer was exciting yet tricky – objectively, as an actor, I know that some of the character’s beliefs are abhorrent – but obviously, I needed to inhabit that on stage. It wasn’t always easy, but the complete trust between us all as a company made it possible. And in addition to that, there was the privilege of playing court scenes scripted by Aaron Sorkin, who is a master of that particular genre.
When the coronavirus pandemic closed theatres in March 2020, you were performing as Chris in the world premiere production of Jack Shepherd’s tragicomedy play The Cutting Edge at Arcola Theatre, what was the show like to be part of?
Yeah, that was an interesting time! We were a couple of weeks into the run at the Arcola, and I very suddenly became very ill one night on my way home from the theatre. Horrible symptoms that I’d never had before. I ended up missing a week of performances. At the time, coronavirus was only just being reported in the UK. I was diagnosed with various things, including upper respiratory tract infection, but no tests were available. In hindsight, I think it’s highly likely that I had COVID then. I returned to the show for just a few performances before we, along with the rest of the theatres, were forced to close.
On screen, you are in the cast of the sci-fi action adventure film Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die as Henry and had a guest role in an episode of this year’s series of Miss Scarlet as Julius Barratt, can you tell us about filming both projects?
I had a great time filming both.
Miss Scarlet was a lovely job to be a part of. I was just coming in for a few scenes, but the cast and crew were hugely welcoming. It was filmed in Belgrade, a city I’d never been to, and that was fascinating to explore.
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die was a real dream job. Filming in Cape Town, doing scenes opposite some amazing actors, including Sam Rockwell. It’s a return to directing for Gore Verbinski, and watching him work was a real insight – the way he maintained a vision of the whole film in his thinking whilst also being able to focus on the details of any given moment.
What are some of your favourite memories from playing Dr. Simon Bond in Doctors and how was it developing the character over the years?
Well, that was just a really fun, informative time. It was my first telly job, and everyone talked about how quickly it was filmed – the sheer number of scenes shot every day. But I had nothing to compare it to. I learnt a lot, very quickly! With relatively little time and budget, there has to be goodwill and enthusiasm to make something work. Doctors ran for over 20 years and was still hugely popular with high audience numbers when it ended, so I think that says it all about the goodwill and enthusiasm on that show.
You have been involved with many other theatre shows and TV series including Creditors at Jermyn Street Theatre, Timon of Athens for the RSC, Frost/Nixon at Sheffield Crucible, Nell Gwynn in the West End, Da Vinci’s Demons on Fox and Murder on the Home Front on ITV, can you say about some of your further career highlights?
I don’t really think of highlights or compare one job to others. I feel very fortunate to have done the jobs I have. Each one has its own identity and is enjoyable for its own unique reasons. The variety is one of the great joys of the profession.
How did you get into acting, and was it always something you wanted to do professionally?
Like many people, I got into acting by doing school plays. That then grew into youth theatres. The decision to want to become an actor came when I was told by my science teachers that I wasn’t good enough at biology to become a vet!
Do you have any favourite films, TV or theatre shows to watch?
I love watching theatre that has a story and relationships at its centre. For me, that’s where the connection comes. With TV and film, I flit between getting into properly engaging dramas – Succession, Adolescence – and shows that are much lighter in content. Last One Laughing had some of the funniest moments I’ve seen on TV for a long time.
What do you enjoy doing away from your acting career?
I love cycling, so I get out on my bike when possible. And at the moment, being on tour, time away from the job means spending as much time with my family and just being at home!
Dear England continues its national tour from January 2026 – https://dearenglandonstage.com