TEECHERS | STAGE PREVIEW
Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Fri 16 Mar.
British playwright John Godber’s work remains steadfastly prominent on school syllabuses, including award-winning plays like Bouncers and Up ‘n’ Under. Teechers was first performed in 1987, but with a few tweaks feels wholly relevant to modern audiences (even the soundtrack is more Coldplay than Queen now). Education in the UK is arguably suffering from a similar level of teenage/teacher angst 30 years on from the play’s debut, so will be all too familiar to today’s audiences, as will all the many larger-than-life characters we remember from school.
Three actors play 23 different characters, with little onstage to distract from the various tales of struggles of kids and colleagues alike. Audiences can look forward to a fast-paced show with every caricature from your school days faithfully recreated. Will Mr. Nixon, the young drama teacher, trying to make his way in a scholastic world, be tempted by an offer to work for a posh private school? Will he even make it to lunchtime?
Teechers has endured for more than 30 years and still packs a political punch, thanks to its well-observed characters and can be assured to create laughter and cringing in equal measure. Blackeyed Theatre are taking the play on tour, including a stopoff at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
Tickets: £12/£10. Info 01970 623232 / www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk
words MAX HARVEY
Photo: ALEX HARVEY BROWN