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Review: Teechers (Reading Rep / UK Tour)

Review by Ruth Sealey


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Reading Rep is fast becoming one of my regular theatre destinations, consistently delivering high-quality productions. Having spent the day teaching in a state secondary school and facing some of the very challenges explored in John Godber's Teechers, I was particularly interested to see how this latest production would resonate with me. Would this much loved comedy still be worthy of top marks or need a resit?



Written by John Godber in 1987 and first performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, Teechers has been revived several times over the years, with Godber also making updates to the script along the way. Education has changed considerably since the play first appeared on stage, and some parts have been rewritten to reflect the realities of today's state education system, the increasing pressures schools face, and the impact these can have on both teachers and pupils. Godber’s writing is insightful and current, including updating the script to acknowledge how COVID and lockdown had an impact on schools and the mental health of pupils.


Teechers is a play within a play, as Year 11 students Salty, Hobby and Gail perform their BTEC performing arts piece, telling their version of life at Whitewall Academy. Through fast-paced dialogue, three actors take on a multitude of roles, often switching characters in an instant, to recount the arrival of enthusiastic new drama teacher Miss Nixon. Along the way, a colourful cast of teachers and pupils is brought to life, and the everyday chaos of the school year unfolds, culminating in the students' production of Bugsy Malone. As the year progresses, we watch Miss Nixon's passion and optimism gradually erode under the pressures of the education system, and even the strong relationships she builds with her students seem unable to prevent the inevitable.



Jane Thornton’s direction captures the controlled chaos of secondary school with all its nuances and emotion. The cast do not leave the stage and switch between characters seemingly effortlessly with a change of a prop, a scarf, a backwards baseball cap and mannerism or stance. Despite the speed of some of the changes, Thornton keeps the audience firmly in pace with the story.


While the play delivers plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, particularly a scene inspired by the film Titanic and another involving ninjas, there is a more serious story running beneath the comedy. Whitewall Academy is underfunded, overstretched and struggling to retain teachers, while across town, the private school, St George’s, enjoys two theatres, a swimming pool, and all the resources it could possibly need. The divide between those who have and those who have not becomes starkly apparent to both staff and pupils, with social mobility and the decline of the arts in state education emerging as the production’s key warning signals.

 


Levi Payne’s Salty provides the story with a sense of stability and grounding, particularly as he channels the frustrations of the education system. Payne moves between moments of humour and the delivery of the play’s more serious messages, maintaining an engaging and consistently watchable performance. He also takes on multiple roles, including Ozzy Moxon, which he plays with a convincing and genuinely intimidating bullying presence. Jo Patmore’s Gail is a real livewire, full of mischief and energy, bouncing around the stage with infectious enthusiasm. Key highlights include the quick transitions into characters such as the overbearing Deputy Dr Basford and the grumpy school caretaker, both of which are brought to life with clear physicality and strong comedic contrast.


The cast is impressive as a trio, showing the school power struggle between staff and subjects, but for me, the standout performance comes from Sophie Suddaby, who plays Hobby, Miss Nixon, and a range of other roles. Suddaby brings an endearing charm to Hobby, ensuring the audience is swept along with her story, while her portrayal of Miss Nixon reveals both vulnerability and a sharper, more authoritative edge as she defends the arts and stands up for what she believes in. This contrast highlights her versatility and makes her performances particularly compelling to watch.



Graham Kirk’s set design takes the audience straight into the school hall, complete with parquet flooring, lockers and the obligatory desks. These props are used creatively to transition between Miss Nixon’s form room, the staff room and the Christmas prom, all with the clever movement of desks and some well-placed pop music.


You do not need to have worked in education to find something in Teechers that will hit home.  It not only looks at the darker parts of the education system but also reveals the softer side of school life, showing how, for some pupils, school can be a place of safety, support, and a much-needed place for creativity. What Godber has created is not only a comedy, but also a play that asks probing questions about education and wider society and, as the humour keeps coming, these points are never lost. Overall, this is a strong production that leaves the audience with plenty to think about long after the final bell has rung.


Teechers plays at Reading Rep until 13th June. Tickets from https://www.readingrep.com/whats-on/teechers/



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