A school reunion turns into a bit of a nightmare when two estranged friends from school wind up trapped in their old teacher’s classroom. With reflections, plenty of laughs and some surprising twists, the two realise the glory days may be behind them and that their old teacher might not have been so bad after all.
Jordan Monks plays Alec. Alec’s uncoolness is felt from the off and Monks does a great job to keep this uncertainty in himself at the forefront. He contrasts nicely opposite the much calmer and cooler Scot. Monks contributes well to the comedy that is very present on stage. The first 20 minutes of the piece feel like every few lines lead up to a punchline the comedy is that frequent, but it never feels forced and that’s thanks to clever writing and excellent performances.
Will Evans portrays Scott. His delivery is clear and his stage presence intoxicating. Delivering punchlines and emotional gut punches with the same effective fervency, he crafts a believable and inertly likeable figure. Evans feels incredibly comfortable on stage and making people laugh, something the audience just want to watch more and more of.
Stephanie Austin Directs. The staging present here is simple yet effective. The blackboard puts in a shift, as do 2 cans of tennents lager, but all the simplicity leaves space for the performances to shine through and the writing to be absorbed. Both actors know what they are doing and the pace of the piece and swiftness of jokes is well crafted by Austin. All of this is lit nicely and moments of comedy are brought through sound design, expertly delivered by Val Volkova.
The decision for the story to mainly follow the life and legacy of a teacher both men hated at one point in their lives was a touching one, and one that makes the audience contemplate their own limited opinions of their former educators, while also reflecting on their own life and achievements. Surprising emotional heft and weight is found in amongst all jokes; a balance that often leads to a really good 45 minutes at the Fringe. Get along and see it.
Theatre Scotland 
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