'Two' and 'Teechers'

For their third production of the season the Rep. chose to present a dual bill of plays with small casts and simple sets. The authors, ‘Two’ by Jim Cartwright and ‘Teechers’ by John Godber both use comedy to make the audience aware of more serious issues.

‘Two’ takes place in the bar of a public house run by a bickering husband and wife team – jovial to the clientele, constantly critical of each other in soliloquy. Testing the ability of the actors involved, they then focus on a variety of customers drinking in the pub that night. Very simple additions to their costume, slight changes to voice and posture gave the audience older and younger, happier and sadder characters. At closing time the build up of emotion between the Landlord and his wife at last bursts out and the audience is involved in the long running tension caused by the loss of their child, the husband choosing to contain his grief within, his wife desperate to talk and share the pain. Eliot Montgomery (the Landlord) and Elizabeth Montgomery (The Landlady) successfully portray their five differing characters and bring the play to a searing conclusion.

‘Teechers’ is more overtly comic with three teenage pupils of Whitewall Comprehensive School talking through their lives together and in relation to the staff at the school Their language is ‘vivid’ and upsetting to some members of the audience, and their opinions of the teachers are mostly derogatory. Performed with great gusto and much reorganization of a few chairs and desks, the trio introduce us to the Headmistress, the Deputy Head, the Games Mistress, Caretaker and school bully. More importantly to Mr. Nixon the new Drama teacher who has some good influence on them, although finally choosing to move onto a private school more appreciative of his talents.

Heading the antics was Joe Brookes as Salty with a very physically demanding and confident performance. His classmates Daniel Haigh (Hobby) and Jemma Vernon (Gail) gave him excellent support in this very pacey and energetic portrayal of school life seen through the eyes of three under performing pupils.

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