The Characters from 'Teechers'
(as described by the script)
Characters
- Ian "Salty" Salt - a school-leaver, bright and fresh-faced, rather dirty in appearance (also plays Teecher B, Jeff Nixon, Pete Saxon, Oggy Moxon, Mr Hatton and Deanie)
- Lilian "Hobby" Hobson -(also plays Mrs Cordelia Parry, Ms Jones, Mr Basford, Ron, Simon "Piggy" Patterson, Oggy Moxon and Mrs Clifton)
- Gail Saunders - Loud mouthed and bossy, attractive and full of enthusiasm (also plays Teacher A, Ms Maureen Whitham, Oggy Moxon, Mr Basford, Miss Jackie Prime, Barry Wobschall, Dennis, Doug and Mrs Coates)
- Mr Harrison - the drama teacher, socialist and idealistic, called Mr Nixon in the play.
- Mrs Hudson - the headmistress, called Mrs Parry in the play.
Characters within Gail, Hobby and Salty's play - Ms Maureen Whitham - A fussy and hopeless teacher, desperate to leave
- Doug - The caretaker, a miserable old man, he hates kids and drama
- Ms Jones - A moaner, rather fat, someone who wants to leave but no-one will employ her
- Mr Dean "Deanie" - A teacher who thinks all the kids love him, a bad dancer
- Bobby "Oggy" Moxon - The cock of the school, looks much older than he actually is, the school bully in a modern age
- Peter "Pete" Saxon - A large, frightening youth with tattoos, appears foolish
- Mr Fisher - Head of PE
- Barry Wobschall - A small boy who never brings his PE kit
- Simon "Piggy" Patterson - A boy who is always telling on others, he always runs to his lessons. There is a standing joke in the play, with teachers repeatedly shouting, "Stop running, Simon Patterson!"
- Ron - A boy who never does PE
- Mr Hatton - Helps with the youth club dance
- Dennis - Oggy's side-kick
- Jeff "Niko" Nixon / Oliver Edward Stanley Noah Kirtley Harold Smith - New drama teacher, young and casual
- Mrs Cordelia Parry - The Head Mistress, large and loud, a real eccentric
- Mr Derek Basford - The Deputy Head, a typical child hater, a nasty piece of work
- Miss Jackie Prime (later Short) - Dolly bird of a PE mistress
- Mrs Coates - Head Mistress at Saint George's
- Mrs Clifton - Head of Governors at Saint George's
Godber also mentioned about having the soundtrack and play updated, keeping it modern. This helps to engage a contemporary audience. A play within a play that three leavers students put on to show their time at their school for their teachers. They change the name's of many characters and places within their performances, such as their drama teacher, Mr Harrison, who is given the name 'Mr Nixon' in the play, and their school being named 'Whitewall'.
They speak most fondly of their drama teacher Mr Nixon, the passion he had for his subject and his idea that all children should be treated the same, which is probably the motivation for them creating a play for their teachers. The school 'Whitewall High School' is set up to contrast 'St George's' - the place where Mr Nixon finds is safer to teach after dealing with hardships at Whitewall. It is highlighted through scenes the trouble of finding a social standing as a new teacher.
The play dealt with a lot of issues that state school stereotypes go through, going through stereotypical situations that either an adult or child audience could relate too. It is this idea of state school being viewed as a worse set of education than one in a better area. The three students prove more or less that when teachers encourage them they are able to become more passionate. This is reflected in their accounts of school and how they have grown up and developed.
Although the play has this amount of characters, although Godber said it could be played by a large cast of 20, both Godber and Berkoff try the idea of multiroling. One thing I will do when working with the groups is seeing how they differentiate between the characters they
have, focusing on their body language and voice control. To do this successfully they will need to take on more stereotypical idea's of the character to an audience can identify with them quicker. The more exaggerated and outrageous they appear the more humour is can create. Godber uses minimal set, the play is reduced to the bare essentials and the cast will have to focus on making the play come to life through clever and fast transitions, making sure that the pace doesn't drop but not loosing lines through to not hearing them. I will help to control these as an outside perspective directing is very helpful as things might not translate how they think they are.
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