Class

by Iseult Golden and David Horan

Brian and Donna's son is nine years old and he's struggling. That's what his teacher says. Says he should see a psychologist. But Brian and Donna -- recently separated -- never liked school, never liked teachers. After a sold-out run in the Dublin Theatre Festival 2017, the play transferred to the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in January 2018 before playing in the Traverse Theatre as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2018. CLASS won Best Theatre Script at the 2018 ZeBBie Awards awarded by the Writers Guild of Ireland.

Genres: Plays

96 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Doug · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5, rounded up.

Since everyone else seemed to like this, I'll assume it's a case of 'It's not you, it's me'. First off, as a childless gay man, I just could not relate at all to the central issue of separated parents squabbling with each other and their son's teacher about his learning 'differences' and possible delinquency. Compounding that deficiency is that for half the play, two adult actors have to act as 9-year-old children, who are written so cloyingly that the very thought of having to watch actors embarrass themselves enacting those scenes made my skin crawl. The melodramatic turns at the end really came as no surprise, and again, just irked me. Lastly, the entire subtext about the English class system (yes, the title has a dual meaning!) was another non-starter for me. Apparently, it worked in production, but I'd rather have a root canal than watch this performed.

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/201...
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[Paul Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a play. 3 actors. One set. Fantastic writing and an exploration of modern education, class, abuse and our need to move on. Very powerful.

[Mahtab Safdari · Rating 5 out of 5]

The plot may seem simple at first glance, yet the complexity- both in terms of characterization and unfolding the narrative- is underlying. All the characters are developed very well. The backstories are intertwined in a perfect way to make surprisingly impressive beats.
The characters are pushed to their absolute limits and beyond. They look frustrated, beaten down, devastated, and humiliated, and yet struggling to find their places.
The dialogues are never on the nose, the conversations make amazing moments which are both revealing in order to move the story forward, and to show how the characters are feeling and reacting being faced with unforeseen difficulties and complications.
The setting is a smart choice, and playing two different characters by the same person could be an exciting challenge for the actor, as well as a great opportunity to show their skills and talent.
A great idea, believable and relatable characters and crafting an entertaining and meaningful plot are the things that make Class a fabulous play.

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got to see this play during the opening run, so reading it after was an interesting experience. The text went to the printers before the rehearsal run was done, so there are a few differences between the printed version and what we saw on stage.

[Chad CG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This play is so cool in its minimalistic approach. I love that it features only 3 actors and the same setting throughout its entirety. I also enjoyed the levels at which they play with the idea of class.