Yvonne Arnaud – until 1st February 2023
Reviewed by Heather Chalkley
4****
Critically acclaimed writer John Godber has resurrected Teechers, originally written and performed in the 80s. A bittersweet comedy that carries a political message, sadly as relevant today as it was back then. Highlighting the divide between the haves and have nots in the UK education system, now amplified by the pandemic, Godber keeps you laughing by seeing through the eyes of three state school leavers and a teacher battling to keep drama alive as a valid subject. A poignant moment captured near the end is the fear and sadness in the faces of the students and drama teacher, as they finally leave Whitewall Academy, breaking the cocoon of their bond.
The players begin the show sat amongst the edge of the audience and running around the auditorium, in the high jinks you would expect from fully charged 16 year olds. Throughout the performance, they switch back and forth between different characters, sometimes being the person and other times being the student pretending to be the person! You will be forgiven for occasionally loosing track, in between the belly laughs. The music and dance performances gets you smiling and right into that moment in time.
Salty (Michael Ayiotis) is a great friend to Hobby (Terenia Barlow) and Gail (Ciara Morris), teaming up with them to fall in love with drama and the drama teacher Miss Nixon (Terenia Barlow). Ayiotis is hilarious in his caricature of Mrs Parry, the would-be thespian head teacher. Barlow slips in and out from Hobby to Miss Nixon with ease and clarity. Morris is fabulously funny in her portrayal of teachers Ms Whitham, Dr Basford and Jackie Prime, whilst her main character Gail manages to dodge the amorous advances of a fellow student. You will find the character of these teachers in every secondary school, warped by a system under siege, completely committed to their profession.
The creative space formed by Miss Nixon (Barlow) and the permission to expand and explore their imagination is an oasis for the students, giving them hope and confidence, possibly even dare to believe in themselves. The students realisation of the situation is brought right to the fore in the scene with Salty (Ayiotis) and Miss Parry (Barlow). Salty is expressing his frustration in his questioning of the fairness of a two tier education system. Godber has found a great vehicle in humour to convey a strong message, leaving the audience under no illusion.