Sir Ian McKellen has rallied the England football team – and the supporting public – ahead of the team’s next World Cup game with his own “love letter to England” video.
The Lord of the Rings actor, 87, shared his words of support ahead of the team’s first knock-out match on Wednesday (1 July), which will see Thomas Tuchel’s side facing off against DR Congo at Atlanta Stadium. You can follow The Independent’s live blog here.
Written by Dear England playwright James Graham, the short film opens with black-and-white images of modern-day England and the sound of a crowd chanting: “Who are ya?”
McKellen’s instantly recognisable voice is layered over the top, asking: “Who are ya? Who are ya? Who are ya? Goes the chant from the stands. Now, isn’t that the question?”
The video shows other images and clips of England, alongside more photos of football fans celebrating and commiserating, with McKellen speaking poetically about how people say that the English “lack a story”, “yet we are the lions that roar”.
McKellen and Graham’s words were created to encourage viewers, not just to support England, but to take part in the National Conversation campaign, in which members of the public are encouraged to submit a 60-second voice note sharing their views and visions on what unites the country.
The “love letter to England” draws on early responses to the campaign. Readers have until 31 August to submit their own hopes for the future to the National Conversation.
The full poem can be read below.
Who are ya? Who are ya? Who are ya?
Goes the chant from the stands.
Now, isn’t that the question?
There are those who say that we don’t know who we are. And yet they say this in our language, the common tongue of the world, that we give ourselves other names or think another may smell more sweet.
That we are yet to fully blossom and bloom, though our roots are ancient and go deep.
They say we lack a story, yet ours are some of the oldest there are.
That where they have passion, we are polite.
Yet we are the lions that roar.
That we are the ones who queue and queue, but what are we waiting for?
That ours is a land of stiff upper lips.
Don’t cause a scene and keep calm.
Oh, no it isn’t.
They say our spirit is broken, yet how we laugh and how we love.
We know who we are at our best when we are together. Don’t let them tell you otherwise.
We know who we are.
Speaking about offering these words of support to the England team and its supporters, Graham said: “Gareth Southgate started his preparation for the World Cup by asking the team, what is England? We can’t expect our footballers to play with pride unless we are all clear about what it means to them, to us, about what unites and defines us.
“This short film is my attempt to contribute to that vision of what connects us. But it’s not just mine, it’s inspired by the National Conversation.”
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