Teechers

Teechers written by John Godber is a play revolving around three school children, who have just come to the end of their school life. It is a play within a play, as the students put on a performance for their teachers. The three cast members play twenty different characters in all, some of which are played by one, two or all three, at some point within the play. This is a fast moving and dynamic script that needs a cast with superb memory, characterisation and accent skills. In order for the narrative to make sense and for them to cope with the countless scene, character and accessory changes.

The cast worked extremely well together and this was a real team effort between them, to make this production a success, which was clear to see. The humour throughout the show was well delivered, with comedy coming from both scripted dialogue and also the funny characterisations that the cast put across. The audience could easily liken the happening on stage to their own school days. The use of paper plates on sticks, with faces and woollen hair was perfect. Fitting the school stereotype production and also adding an extra comedy element.

The set had a central white board as if it was a class room, with Mrs. Larry, the headteachers office, to stage left. There was also another section of the classroom on stage right. Both the desks and chairs were moved around a lot, this was done to represent different rooms in the school. Although quite simplistic, some detail had been considered, such as the headteachers portrait in her office. This matched the hat and shawl that she wore in the play. The white board was used as a projection screen. The projections themselves were well done, with video recording of the actual cast also being projected. Due to it being shown on a white board, the surface was very shiny and the glare would have affected some people's viewing. 

Costumes were minimal due to the students playing themselves, but the countless accessories they used multiple times, were well considered. They each suited the persona they were portraying for their characters. Also doing a superb job of remembering the countless changes in accessories to resemble a different character. Accents and mannerisms were also well thoughtout, to show the difference between characters on stage. 

Diction of the cast was excellent despite numerous accents and voices being used, which sometimes can cause some dialogue to be lost. Also not one prompt was required, which is a great achievement. It would be so easy to get lost in the play as there is so much to remember. The cast had obviously drilled themselves enough to ensure they didn't go astray from the script. 

This play was not the society's first choice for this season, but due to illness it was changed quite late on. The show also had some casting issues, as the lead male actor withdrew from the production just two weeks before the show. This said, the audiences watching would never have realised any of these issues. This quite complex production was performed with the same professionalism and high standards that the society always manages to achieve. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of both the production team and cast.

The show was well staged and directed, which allowed the fast paced and complex plot to be understood which was enjoyed by the audience. The number of scene changes did become slightly tiresome and hampered the pace. These were covered by music however this did get quite tedious as the show went on. But due to the nature of the script it would be hard to do it in a different way. The high standard of acting from all three cast members ensured the play went on without a hitch. They should all be pleased with what they have managed to bring out of this play. We would like to thank the society for their kind invitation to this production and wish them well for their next show at the end of April, 'Boeing Boeing'.

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