bouncers 2007 education pack

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Bouncers

Education Pack

Spring 2007SCHOOLS TOUR


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BouncersSchools Tour 2007

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FOREWORD

Bouncing into Friday night

Well-recognised as a landmark play in contemporary UK theatre, the firstversion of Bouncerswas written in 1977. Here, its award-winning writer JohnGodber reflects upon the inspiration and creation of his ground-breakingplay..

When I wrote the first version of Bouncers on a petite typewriter at my mothers, Inever expected it to be performed, let alone be around 28 years later.

The idea for the play seems to have germinated from years of unsuccessful disco-going. Unsuccessful in the sense that I never came away with a girl, but in the longrun, successful in the people-watching department. Ive always had an interest inthe potential dangers and possibilities of nightlife, and discos seem to me to behothouses of such dangers and possibilities.

Indeed, there were numerous occasions when I was refused entry or asked toleave but only once did I get a thick ear. Most of my disco-going resulted in mybeing first in the back of a taxi or throwing up over the dog in the new kitchen at mymothers.

The disco experience has undergone many changes, house, rave, garage, butessentially one thing remains the same, young people, loud music, drugs of somedescription, and the hope that tonight youll meet Mr Right, or have a fight, or endup mostly like I did. Eating a dodgy kebab and vowing never to do it againuntilnext Friday.


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Bouncers

ABOUT THE PLAYBouncersis a comedy with a bleak streak that raises a mirror to the realities andfantasies of nightclub lifestyles. There is depth, sustenance and horror to be foundin Lucky Erics speeches. The play raises questions about violence, relationships,despair, sexuality, sexual dynamics and roles, alcohol, power and friendships.

At times the play comes across like more sympathetic, self-effacingBerkoff with Godber never showing off his own clevernessThe Times on a 2001 performance featuring John Godber in the role of Judd

BRIEF SYNOPSIS2007 Abridged Schools ProductionBouncers is a high impact stylised view of todays urban nightlife. A sharp, edgylook at what goes on late at night in every town, when the pubs are shut and thebeers been downed! This 30 minute adaptation of the play sees three actors playa both a group of door men working in a local club, and also a set of lads andlasses hell-bent on having a good night out. The play portrays the perspectives ofthree sets of characters on a Friday night out; using nothing but one beer barreland three handbags as props!

CHARACTERS

Lucky Eric The oldest of the three Bouncers. He is wise and haswitnessed many things during his time as a Bouncer. Hedespises the whole nightlife culture.

Judd The youngest of the Bouncers. He loves the nightlife and thesense of power in his job. The sooner he can get in to a fightthe better. He loves to wind Eric up.

Les A good looking guy, handy in a fight. Gets a lot of attentionfrom the ladies.

The Lads Kev, Terry and Baz are three lads desperate for a good nightout. They have made their compulsory trip to the barberstheyre wearing their new gear and are determined to picksomething up.

The Girls Rosie, Maureen and Elaine are three girls who are gorgeousman magnets (Well they think they are!) They are all out for

Rosies21stBirthday bash; determined to paint the town red with theirnew shoes and hair dos.


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CAST Scott Solway (Lucky Eric)Matthew Wynn (Judd)Peter McMillan (Les)

DIRECTOR Lee Green, Hull Truck Theatre Education Assistant

HISTORY OF THE PLAY

When Bouncers was first performed as part of the 1977 Edinburgh Fringe Festival,John Godber, then 21 years old, made up half of the cast. The other half, Peter

Geeves, went on to perform in future versions of the play.

The first version, a two hander (two actors) about a hard nights drinking in anorthern nightclub had a first night audience, which equalled the cast in number.John remembers; The only people there were a drunk and a critic from theScotsman. The drunk got up on stage and tried to join in and the critic leftbefore the end. Johns Uncle built the set, which was then transported up to theFestival in the back of a car.

Many years, lots of tours, and thousands of performances later the play is aninternational cult hit and has played in Britain, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and

USA receiving great critical acclaim and won numerous awards, including winningthe Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award an amazing seven times, andfive prestigious Jefferson Awards.

It has been translated into and performed in many languages, including Flemish,Swedish, French, German and Italian, and Warner Chappell - who hold the rightsfor amateur productions in the UK - say that there is at least one production ofBouncers being performed somewhere in the world every week of the year, and itregularly features in the top ten stage listings.

In 1999 Bouncerswas chosen by the National Theatre as one of the top 100

plays of the 20thcentury as part of the NT2000 Platform.


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IMAGES FROM THE 2003 PRODUCTION OF BOUNCERS

Adrian Gatie


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PRESS REVIEWS

What the papers say about Godbers men in black

Undoubtedly Godber ranks alongside Bennett andBerkoffCity Limits

Extremely funnyThe Daily Telegraph

Excellent high-energy study of disco lifeThe Independent

A stunning British Comedy..a raucous tapestry oflife under a neon sign

Los Angeles Times

like a hideously funny Saturday Night FeverTime Out

Exuberantly enjoyableNew Statesman

Youll be rolling in your seats and bursting at theseams!Daily Mirror

A whirlwind mixture of witty one-linersHull Daily Mail


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THE PLAYWRIGHT

Dr John GodberJoint Artistic Director of Hull Truck Theatre

John was born the son of a miner in Upton, West Yorkshire.

He trained as a teacher of drama at Bretton Hall College.

Prior to his appointment as Artistic Director of Hull Truck

Theatre Company in 1984, he was Head of Drama at

Minsthorpe High School, the school he attended as a

student.

Whilst he was teaching at Minsthorpe he won every major

award at the National Student Drama Festival between 1981

and 1983. He has also won five Edinburgh Fringe First

Awards and in 1984 won the Laurence Olivier Comedy of the

Year Award for UP 'n' UNDER. His plays are performed

across the world. BOUNCERS was nominated for Comedy of

the Year in 1985 and won seven Los Angeles Critics Circle

Awards and five awards in Chicago in 1987. ON THE PISTE

was nominated for the Comedy of the Year in 1993 and

APRIL IN PARIS was nominated Comedy of the Year in

1994.

His other plays include TEECHERS, BLOOD SWEAT AND

TEARS, CRAMP, HAPPY JACK, SEPTEMBER IN THE

RAIN, SALT OF THE EARTH, PASSION KILLERS, HAPPY

FAMILIES, UP 'n' UNDER II, GYM & TONIC, DRACULA,

LUCKY SODS, HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD, WEEKEND

BREAKS, IT STARTED WITH A KISS, UNLEASHED, THICK

AS A BRICK, BIG TROUBLE IN THE LITTLE BEDROOM,

SEASONS IN THE SUN, ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS, OUR

HOUSE, DEPARTURES, MEN OF THE WORLD, REUNION,

SCREAMING BLUE MURDER BLACK TIE & TALES,

PERFECT PITCH and GOING DUTCH.


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As well as directing all the first productions of his plays, John

has directed BULLY, THE GLASS MENAGERIE,

WOYZECK, TWELFTH NIGHT, JULIUS CAESAR,

GARGLING WITH JELLY, PLAYING AWAY and Alan

Plater's SWEET SORROW. WRESTLING MAD, which was

performed last Summer and touring nationally this year, is

Johns 50PthPplay marking his 21PstPanniversary with Hull Truck

as Artistic Director. He has the distinction of being one of the

most performed writers in the English language.

John's TV work includes CROWN COURT, GRANGE HILL

and BROOKSIDE. In 1987 he wrote and co-directed the BBC

2 six-part series THE RITZ and its sequel THE

CONTINENTAL. His screenplay MY KINGDOM FOR A

HORSE starring Sean Bean was nominated for an

alternative BAFTA award and he devised the BBC2 series

CHALKFACE. He directed a TV version of SHAKERS - THE

MUSICAL that was nominated Best Children's TV Drama1993. John's first feature film UP 'N' UNDER was released in

January 1998. In 2005, he co-wrote ODDSQUAD for BBC 2,

with his wife Jane, which was shot in Hull using local actors.

ODDSQUAD won two British Academy of Film and

Television Arts Awards in the Schools Drama category and

in the BAFTA original writer section.

John has an MA from Leeds University, an Hon D.Litt from

Hull University, an Hon D.Litt from Lincoln University and

was a PHD research student for five years at Leeds

University. He is a Professor of Contemporary Theatre at

Liverpool Hope University, a visiting Professor of Drama at

Hull University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He

was recently awarded a D.Uni from the Open University.


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Bouncers

In John Godbers words

I trained as a teacher of Drama at Bretton Hall College near Wakefield. It wasduring this time that a great many of my beliefs and ideas about theatre began toemerge. Indeed the first ever version of Bouncersappeared in 1977 with two un-named bouncers;Tall & Short. On the second night of the play, Brian Glover and anumber of his friends sought out our less than perfect venue, watched the play,and gave a few words of encouragement. It was enough for me to continue in thefield of Drama and even though we didnt attract another single punter for the restof our week at the Festival, we returned to Wakefield flushed with success.

Several years later when I had left Leeds Universitys Workshop Theatre and theMA course there, I began teaching back at Minsthorpe. I have to admit that I stillfelt I had to justify my subject to friends and colleagues despite having spent fiveyears in full time study and having secured a place to study for a PhD part-time.

During all this time I had more than a passing interest in sport. I had playedfootball, table tennis and rugby at school. I had continued to play rugby at Collegeand University, and had become involved with body builders and weight liftersduring my early twenties. At that time I used to joke that I was any disruptive kidsnightmare, I was a seventeen stone drama teacher, with a PhD.

I was so fascinated by plays at this time that I would read a play every weekendbefore turning out to play rugby for Hemsworth Rugby club. By the early eightiesthere wasnt a play in the Penguin series that I hadnt read; Drama was my life!

In 1981, a number of actor friends set up a company: Yorkshire Actors. They askedme if I would like to re-visit Bouncers and present it as a four hander. It was theopportunity I needed to bring a number of strands together.

I had become increasingly bored by the convention of modern Drama. Most of theplays I had read were set in realistic locations and were therefore fairly limiting in

terms of how they could represent themselves to an audience. In some respectsthese plays amounted to nothing more than big telly. True they had good storiesand incisive characterisations, but in terms of their theatrical scope, the four wallsof the box set seemed to limit their vision.

Of course I was not the first to recognise this: Berkoff, Edward Gordon Craig,Brecht, Artaud and sundry others had all identified this limitation, and had donework to counter the spread of this virus.

So it was withBouncers that I set out to attempt to sell the creation of nightmarishnights in the discos of England, from the bouncers point of view. The bouncers

would play women by the aid of a handbag and the lads on the town, as well as thebouncers themselves, and they would be stood on the door of the theatre even


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before the play began. There was nothing much new in this; Charles Marowitz had

done similar things at the Open Space in London with Fortune and Mens Eyes, setin a Canadian reformatory. What was perhaps different however, was the way inwhich the actors playing the bouncers admit the illusion of the theatricalexperience. Even before the play gets under way they tell the audience they will tryto illustrate the sort of things that happen late.

Later on when one Actor/Bouncer changes character in front of the audience,another Actor/Bouncer asks the audience I thought he was the Barber? LuckyEric, the wise old owl has four speeches in the play. Each speech is acknowledgedas a speech: Lucky Erics first speechLucky Erics fourth and final speech. Infact, throughout the play the actors play with the duality of performance. At one

moment they are threatening Bouncers, and a moment later they are mincingyoung girls, but throughout this they are very aware of the game they are playingwith the audience. It is a dangerous game, they do not have the bric a brac ofrealism to fall back on. They do not have a set of cups and saucers to rely on, theyhave a physical precision, they have an energy, they have muscular control, andthey have the audiences imagination, they are naked other than their skills asperformers.

This style of presentation which mixes the broadly popular with the gauche game oftheatrical paradox, keeps an audience on its toes. As the play changes genre anddirection from moment to moment, the audience cannot relax intellectually since

they are unsure where the next moment will come from and what their responsewill be. When it works there is a pure state of theatrical engagement at work.

T


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Bouncers

THEATRICAL STYLE

Bouncersuses a minimal set and relies on the versatility and skill of its actors. Thestyle of the show has been strongly influenced by expressionism so subsequentlythe acting style is heightened and is very physical. The play uses images, mimeand tableaux as well as dialogue and scripting.

The performance style is neither naturalistic or realistic (although audiencescan often recognise or relate to characters on stage), andthe physicality of theactors is paramount in Bouncers.

Character exaggeration and use of direct address in performance suggestsan inherent theatricality and awareness of itself as a theatrical piece;

We four will try to illustratethe sort of things that happen late

at night in every townwhen the pubs are shut

and the beers been downed

The poetry of this line as well as themime used in its delivery, instantly grabsaudience attention, and is just one example of how Bouncers has an awarenessof itself and its expectations.

Lucky Erics speeches are soliloquies (direct to the audience). Direct address is atheatrical convention often used by playwrights such as Shakespeare and Brechtamong others. It reinforces to an audience that they are watching a play rather thanreality. Direct address shatters illusion and creates an intimacy with anaudience, connecting them with the inner commentary of a character.

The production makes comments on some of the lines of the characters (Social

comment), reinforcing the audience position as audience, and defying thetheatrical convention of a fourth wall.

The shows success relies on the actors comic timing and their ability to switchfrom character to character whilst communicating the physicality of each. Itdemands versatility and fitness, along with a good imagination and the abilityto characterise.


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SCRIPT EXTRACT 1

The Bouncers

Les: Judd?

Judd: Les.

(Lucky Eric joins the group)

Judd: Eric?

Eric: Judd, Les.

Les: Lucky Eric. Alright?

Eric: Yeah, Why?

Les: Cold innit?

Judd: Any trouble last night?

Les: Usual. Couple of punks got glassed.

Judd: Nothing special then?

Les: I wanted to have em, but Eric said no.

Eric: Youre to violent Les. You cant control yourself.

Les: You dont have any fun Eric, thats your trouble. Gerrin past it.

Eric: (totally manic) Dont you ever say that I am getting past it! Ever!

Judd: I got a basket meal for nothing yesterday.

Eric: When?

Judd: Yesterday.

Les: Who gave it to you?

Judd: That girl.


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Eric: Oh yeah?

Judd: Chicken it was. Tender.

Les: And chips?

Judd: No chips. Fattening!Eric: Short legs.

Les: Yeah right.

Eric: Optical illusion that is.

Judd: What? That chips are fattening?

Eric: Makes her arse look bigger.

Les: Nearer to the ground.

Judd: Good centre of gravity, chickens.

Eric: Hows the Judo?

Les: Not bad thanks.

Eric: Still training?

Les: Yeah, twice a week. And you?

Judd: Couldnt train hamsters.

Eric: I trained you though, didnt I?

Judd: Didnt train the wife too well though, did you rubber gob?

Eric: Leave my wife out of it you.

Judd: I hear shes putting it about a bit.

Eric: Dont believe all you hear Judd, your headll blow up.

Judd: I know a bloke who says hes had her.

Les: Leave it Judd.

Eric: I could have you any time.

Judd: The king is dead, Eric.

(Silence)

Eric: I was just thinking.


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Judd: What with?

Eric: My brain, Judd, up here. Where you keep budgie food and dubbin. Ive got a brain.

Judd: You ought to be on Deal or No Deal Eric, if youve got a brain. Fancy having a brainand doing this job. At this rate youre going to end up on The Weakest Link orsommat.

Eric: And at this rate youre going to end up on a life support, Judd.

Les: What were you thinking about Eric, with this brain that youve got?

Eric: I was just thinking: Women.

Les: Oh yeah. And what about them?

Eric: Theyre weird!

Les: Theyre not as weird as having a beard up your arse.

Judd: What are you trying to say?

Eric: Different attractions. Strange.

Judd: Whats strange about women?

Eric: They laugh at you when youre naked.

ALL: Oh yeah.

Les: I was just thinking as well. I mean, where is everybody? Im freezing to bloodydeath out here. Whys that?

Judd: Because its cold.

Les: Because nobodys turned up yet, so let me get me hands on somebody, warmthem up a bit.

Judd: Theyll all be gerrin some beer down their bloody necks, stood about in posh pubs,slopping beer down em. Either that or theyre watching the bloody telly, comedown here about half past eleven, tight-fisted sods.

Les: Its still early.

(Eric has been gazing into the night)

Eric: Look at them lights, look at all those lights.

Judd: The City by Night by Lucky Eric, an artists impression.

Eric: Them lights are like people, just like peoples lives.


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Les: Whats he on about?

Eric: Them flats, people live in them flats.

Judd: Hes a bloody genius you know.

Eric: Couples, huddled together in one or two rooms.

Judd: Aye eye, here we go. Getting round to sex.

Eric: In them flats, somebodyll be having a shag right now.

(Pause while the idea sinks in)

Les: Lucky sods.

Eric: All over the world people will be dying, and conceiving children and growingvegetables and shagging.

Les: Lucky sods.

Judd: Dont let it get to you, Eric.

Les: Dont get depressed.

Eric: And were stood here, like three daft gits.


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ALL: Check.

Judd: Tie?

ALL: Check.

Eric: Aftershave? Justin Timberlake uses this.

ALL: (sing) I wanna rock your body, please stay.Check.

Eric: Talc on genitals?

ALL: Check.

Eric: Clean underpants?

ALL: Well..

Les: Theyll do.

Eric: Money?

ALL: Double check.

Les: Condoms?

ALL: Checkaroonie.

Judd: Breath?

(They all breathe out and try and smell their own breath.)

ALL: Ugh! Beer should drown that.

Judd: Right. Thats it then. Were ready. Catch the bus at the end of our street.

ALL: Ding ding.

Les: Fares please.

Eric: Knackers.

Judd: Get down town to start the pub crawl. When we get there its packed already. I seeme mates, Baz an Kev an me into the Taverners.

(During the following sequence the lads attempt to get served. Their actions shouldconvey the bustling, pushy atmosphere of a pub.)

Judd: Three pints, please!

ALL: (As they down the first pint of the evening) ONE!


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Les: Course Im eighteen.

Eric: Get some crisps.

Judd: Three pints pal.

ALL: TWO!

Eric: Are you being served?

Les: Hey up, bastard.

Judd: Three more pints, pal.

ALL: THREE!

Judd: Got any pork scratchings?

Eric: Hey, watch me shirt.

Les: Packed int it?

Judd: Let me get to them bogs.

Eric: Excuse me.

Les: Three pints.

ALL: FOUR!

Judd: And a whiskey, love, please.

ALL: FIVE!

Eric: Excuse me, love.

Les: I gave you a fiver.

Judd: Fat get.

Eric: Three pints, three bags of beef, three bags of salted peanuts, and three whiskeychasers.

ALL: (Thumbs) Yeah! SIX! SEVEN!

Judd: Have you got any cashews?

Eric: Hey twat, Ive been stood here a month.

Les: Can we have some service down here?

(The three lads recoil as they see beer spill all over Erics [Bazs] trousers.)

Eric: Oooooooooh! Look at that. Somebodys spilt beer all over my suit.


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Judd: Daft get.

Eric: Its brand new.

Les: Itll dry.

Judd: How many have we had?

Les: Ten.

Judd: Time for another.

Eric: Ive only had nine.

Les: Are we off?

Eric: Do you think well get in?

Judd: Should do.

Les: Hope theres no trouble.

Eric: Theres three of us.

ALL: Yeah.

Les: Come on. Lets get down there, pick something up.

ALL: Right.

Eric: Hang on.

Les: What?

Eric: Piss call.

ALL: Oh yeah!


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SCRIPT EXTRACT 3

The Girls

Eric: Maureen. Massive but nice. Fat but cuddly. Not a bag. But likes a drink and alaugh. A bit busty. (Silly Laugh)

Les: Rosie. Birthday today. Tall and slim, hair all permed. I had it done at Barbaras.

Eric: Its nice it really suits you.

Les: Thank you.

Eric: Cow.

Les: Ive had a drink. I feel a bit tiddly. Hey, it will end in tears. Hello luv.

Eric: Hello.

Les: Have you lost a bit of weight?

Judd: Plain Elaine.

Eric/Les: Its a shame.

Judd: Left school at sixteen with one GCSE in metal work. Im on the dole.

Eric/Les: Its such a shame.

Judd: Enjoys a good night out but doesnt expect to get picked up though. Handy in afightCome here ya bastard. Hi ya.

Eric/Les: Hi ya.

Les: Right, who wants what?

Judd: Ill have a pint of Guiness. . . no, only a joke. Ill have a brandy and lime.


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Eric: Well, Ill have a lager and black because if I have any more Ill be on my back.

Les: As usual.

Eric: You cheeky sod.

Les: Ill have a pina colada.

Eric: Christ, listen to her.

Les: Well Im twenty one.

Judd: She doesnt bloody care. I feel a bit sick.

Eric: Youll be alright when we get down there.

Les: Are we getting the bus?

Eric: Well, Im not walking it in these shoes.

Les/Judd: Oh theyre lovely.

Judd: Im gonna put a record on.

Eric: Put that on 3A. I like that.

Judd: No its crap.

Les: I think you should put The Pussy Cat Dolls on.

Judd: Im putting on a funky disco record.

Les: Im afraid youre not because I like this one here.


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SCRIPT EXTRACT 4

The Bouncers RapEric and the bouncers have been parading the auditorium. As the musicplays they enter the stage. An open space. Ericaddresses the audience.There is a sense of menace throughout.

Eric: Ladies and Gentlemen, we present the bouncers remix.

Judd/Les: B O U N C E R S (Elongating the s.)

Eric: We welcome you to a visionof modern urban nightlifeTo stag nights and hen-dosTo drunken crying girls and gallons of booze

Judd/Les: (Singing)Celebration time, come on!

Eric: Its always frustratingFor the oldest swingers in townYes all human life is inevitably here

In a midnight circus and I must make it clearThat the beer is pricy, the music pulsatingThe atmosphere is intoxicatingWe three will illustrateThe sort of things that happen lateAt night in every townWhen the pubs are shut and the beers been downed

NOW DOWN AT THE DISCO IS THE PLACE TO BETHE LIGHTS ARE SO BRIGHTLIKE A COLOUR TVTHE MUSIC IS LOUDAND THE BEER FLOWS FREEITS A DISCO PLACE FOR YOU AND ME

NOW ON THE DOOR YOU PAY YOUR MONEYTHE PLACE IS PACKED, THE PLACE IS FUNNYLOOK AT THE GIRLS

Judd/Les: MMMMMMMMMMM


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Eric: SMELL THEIR HONEYCOME TO THE PLACEWHERE THE BEAT PULSATESIN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHTTHE WALLS GYRATEIN THE BOWELS OF HELLTHE SCENT IS STRONGTHERES SEX IN THE AIRAND THE HUNT IS ONAND THE CHILDREN OF ENGLANDSING THEIR SONG

ALL: (Slowly)Here we go, here we go, here we go

(A Pause)

Judd/Les: WELL YOU FINISH WORK

Eric: WELL ITS FRIDAY NIGHT

Judd/Les: SO YOUVE GOT YOUR PAY

Eric: AND YOU FEEL ALRIGHT

ALL: PUMP UP THE BITTERPUMP UP THE BITTERPUMP UP THE BITTERDOWN EIGHT PINTSYOU DONT CA CAREYOU DONT CA CAREYOU DONT CA CARECOZ ITS FRIDAY NIGHT

Eric: I SAID HIP HIPPY

Judd: GIP GIPPY

ALL: HIP GIP HOP BOPDRINK THAT SLOP AND DONT YOU STOP

Eric: GET DOWN GET UP GET IN GET OUT

Eric/Judd: GET DOWN GET UP GET IN GET OUT

ALL: GET DOWN GET UP GET IN GET OUT

ALL: GET DOWN GET UP GET IN GET OUT


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Eric: THE BOUNCERS ARE MEANIN THEIR BLACK AND WHITETHE FELLAS ARE PISSEDBUT THEIR FISTS ARE TIGHTBUT THE CHICKS ARE LOOSE

ALL: (as women)COZ ITS FRIDAY NIIIIGHT

Eric: WE GOT SOUL

ALL: RAP

Eric: WE GOT SOUL

ALL: HOUSE RAP

Eric: WE PLAY A LOT OF OTHER STUFF

Judd: THAT SOUNDS LIKE CRAP

ALL: GET DOWN GET UP GET IN GET OUTGET DOWN GET UP GET IN GET OUTGET DOWN GET UP GET IN GET OUT

Eric: AND IF YOU COME DOWN HEREWEARING JEANS

Judd: YOU CANT GET IN

ALL: KNOW WHAT HE MEANS?

GOTTA HAVE A TIE, GOTTA HAVE A SUITGOTTA LOOK CUTE OR YOULL GET THE BOOTGOTTA HAVE A TIE, GOTTA HAVE A SUITGOTTA LOOK CUTE OR YOULL GET THE BOOTGOTTA HAVE A TIE, GOTTA HAVE A SUITGOTTA LOOK CUTE OR YOULL GET THE BOOTGOTTA HAVE A TIE, GOTTA HAVE A SUIT

GOTTA LOOK CUTE OR YOULL GET THE BOOTGOTTA HAVE A TIE, GOTTA HAVE A SUITGOTTA LOOK CUTE OR YOULL GET THE BOOTGOTTA HAVE A TIE, GOTTA HAVE A SUITGOTTA HAVE A SUIT OR YOULL GET THE BOOT


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Important information about the day: Please Read

The following will help our visit to your school run smoothly:

Before we arrive: Please tell the students we are coming. Let them know thatthey should be quiet during the performance; there will beplenty of time for them to speak during the workshop after theshow.If there is time it would be great if you could have workedthrough the exercises and games/script extracts beforethe day.

What weneed: Someone to meet the actors before the performance to showthem where they will be performing, where they can changeand any other relevant information i.e. health and safety/firedrill. Please make sure you make the name of this personknown to Hull Truck Theatre Company.

We prefer an intimate space i.e. a studio or classroom. Thereshould be a clear space for the performance uncluttered bydesks, chairs etc. The audience can be as many as it is safe tofit in the room; however the maximum number of workshopparticipants is 30.

The studio/classroom should be set out for us before wearrive. There should be two banks of chairs with an aisle downthe centre. There should also be an available power supplyclose to the performance area for us to plug in our c.d. player.

Experience: The show will last approximately 30 minutes then students willbe asked to participate in a workshop with the actors, there willbe plenty of time for questions and answers so it may beuseful to prep the students to think of useful questions.


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ACTIVITIES BEFORE THE DAY

Questions

Ask students to fill in this form before they see the show:

What questions would you like to ask THE CHARACTERS?

What questions would you like to ask THE ACTORS?

The group should collate their questions ready to ask on the day.


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ACTIVITIES BEFORE THE DAY

General theatre games

These games can make up a complete session of work before we arrive

Satellite: The group stand in a circle. Person 1 goes into the centre of the circleand chooses someone who hasnt had a go yet (this is so everyonegets a turn). Person 1 performs a movement and a sound whichperson 2 copies. Person 1 and 2 swap places and person 2 choosessomeone from the circle and the process continues.

What are

you doing?: Still standing in the circle, person 1 stands in the centre. Person 2should ask what are you doing?. Person 1 should think of an activityfor person 2 to do (e.g. washing their hair). Person 1 and 2 must thenswap places and person 2 will then mime washing their hair in thecentre of the circle. Person 3 asks person 2 what are you doing?and the process continues with person 2 coming up with somethingfor person 3 to do. An important rule is that the students should notcome up with activities to deliberately embarrass anyone. If thishappens the person suggesting can be made to perform the activitytoo.

Snowball: Person 1 enters the centre of the circle. Person 2 joins them andchanges the situation. Person 3 joins them and person 1 leaves.Person 3 changes the situation and the game continues with thecharacters interacting.

The Bench: Get the students to think of a character they would like to play, theyshould hold a brief history of them in their head. Set up a bench usingfour chairs. There should never be more than three actors performingat one time and never less than two. The actors MUSTinteract withthe other characters on the bench as the character they have

invented. (Students should be encouraged to create larger than lifecharacters). There should be no interaction with the audience, onlywith the characters on the bench.

Hot Seating:A chair is set in front of the class, this is the hot seat. When theperson sits in the seat they are in character, these could be thecharacters from bench. The audience should ask the characterquestions (anything really) to which the character must respond. Theactor is not allowed to reply with I dont know, however they canavoid certain questions if it is appropriate to the character e.g. itsnone of your business or thats a personal question.


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Education Pack

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information on John Godber; more press clippings, agent detailsetc., please contact us at Hull Truck Theatre [email protected], orwrite to Hull Truck Theatre, Spring Street, Hull, HU2 8RW

Useful websites: HTUwww.hulltruck.co.ukUTH www.johngodber.co.uk

HTUwww.imdb.comUTH

bouncers 2007 education pack

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