The play “Teechers” was written by John Godber, in 1984 and was first performed in 1987 by the “Hull Truck Theatre Company” and also at the Edinburgh Festival.

The story centers on three school leavers, Salty, Hobby and Gail as they tell the audience about their time at the “Whitewall High School”, a tough underfunded comprehensive school known as Colditz, were reference books are cello taped together because they cannot afford new ones and like most schools has the usual mix of children such as the girl who has a crush on the teacher and  a boy who is the school bully. 

The girls talk about their new drama teacher Mr. Jeff Nixon, and tell us about his struggle to establish his social standing within the school both with pupils and staff, which is highlighted at various times throughout the play such as during a very funny observations of staffroom politics. Mr Nixon believes that all children should be treated equally, and he gradually motivates his classes and ignites the children’s and especially the three girl’s passion for drama where they can escape into the stories and become different people. 

Unfortunately, at the end of the play Mr. Nixon is disheartened and discouraged and despite the girls pleading with him to stay for the sake of the other children at the school, he plans to leave “Whitewall High School” to teach at “St George's”, a private school which has much better conditions for both children and teachers.