What do you think?
Rate this book
The Changing Room
This intense drama was a hit in London and later on Broadway. Set in the changing room of a Rugby League Team in the North of England, The Changing Room explores the nature of competition and violence as practiced on and off the field before, during after an important match.
"Gritty and grandiose ... One of David Storey's best plays." —London Times
"David Story's groundbreaking play is enthralling." —Independent
"Gritty and grandiose ... One of David Storey's best plays." —London Times
"David Story's groundbreaking play is enthralling." —Independent
- GenresPlays
91 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1972
About the author
David Storey
84 books30 followersDavid Storey was an English playwright, screenwriter, award-winning novelist and a former professional rugby league player. Storey was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire in 1933, and studied at the Slade School of Art.
His first two novels were both published in 1960, a few months apart: This Sporting Life, which won the Macmillan Fiction Award and was adapted for an award-winning 1963 film, and Flight Into Camden, which won the Somerset Maugham Award. His next novel, Radcliffe (1963) met with widespread critical acclaim in both England and the United States, and during the 1960s and 70s, Storey became widely known for his plays, several of which achieved great success.
He returned to fiction in 1972 with Pasmore, which won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Award and was short-listed for the Booker Prize. Saville (1976) won the Booker Prize and has been hailed by at least one critic as the best of all the Booker winners. His last novel was Thin-Ice Skater (2004).
David Storey lived in London. He was married and had four children.
His first two novels were both published in 1960, a few months apart: This Sporting Life, which won the Macmillan Fiction Award and was adapted for an award-winning 1963 film, and Flight Into Camden, which won the Somerset Maugham Award. His next novel, Radcliffe (1963) met with widespread critical acclaim in both England and the United States, and during the 1960s and 70s, Storey became widely known for his plays, several of which achieved great success.
He returned to fiction in 1972 with Pasmore, which won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Award and was short-listed for the Booker Prize. Saville (1976) won the Booker Prize and has been hailed by at least one critic as the best of all the Booker winners. His last novel was Thin-Ice Skater (2004).
David Storey lived in London. He was married and had four children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 2, 2026
What happened here?!
I loved "Home" by the same playwright and found a collection of his plays, this was the second in there--not only is it so difficult to read because there's so many characters, but... they don't even do anything.
I was expecting something like that Inside No 9 episode which takes place in a football locker room, where there's some sort of drama between characters, some interplay or manipulation--at one point a character mentions betting so I thought, "Oh okay so someone has bet on the rugby game they're going to throw the game to make money, and someone else finds out about it..." But nah.
They have working class jobs during the week! Okay so one can't play because of the injury incurred at work and so... No.
One guy finds out his wife is sleeping with one of the other players so.... Nope.
These are the most basic dramatic premises one could imagine in such an environment. And not a single one was picked up on, which would not have been so great anyways, but certainly better than nothing. Very surprising given the complexity and ingenuity of "Home."
Left in my hands of course, I would have turned the changing room into a plotless orgy from page 1 that still carries on up until page 90, all the way through two intermissions, and maybe one of them dies from dehydration, and this excites some of them more, while others are so traumatised, loving the dead guy as they did that they end their lives, and this is all so distracting that all of them completely forget they are rugby players, let alone that there's a game on right beside them that they are meant to be joining, and when the orgy is over, several years have passed, and there's an apocalypse... Okay hang on did I just spitball the best rugby play possible?!
I loved "Home" by the same playwright and found a collection of his plays, this was the second in there--not only is it so difficult to read because there's so many characters, but... they don't even do anything.
I was expecting something like that Inside No 9 episode which takes place in a football locker room, where there's some sort of drama between characters, some interplay or manipulation--at one point a character mentions betting so I thought, "Oh okay so someone has bet on the rugby game they're going to throw the game to make money, and someone else finds out about it..." But nah.
They have working class jobs during the week! Okay so one can't play because of the injury incurred at work and so... No.
One guy finds out his wife is sleeping with one of the other players so.... Nope.
These are the most basic dramatic premises one could imagine in such an environment. And not a single one was picked up on, which would not have been so great anyways, but certainly better than nothing. Very surprising given the complexity and ingenuity of "Home."
Left in my hands of course, I would have turned the changing room into a plotless orgy from page 1 that still carries on up until page 90, all the way through two intermissions, and maybe one of them dies from dehydration, and this excites some of them more, while others are so traumatised, loving the dead guy as they did that they end their lives, and this is all so distracting that all of them completely forget they are rugby players, let alone that there's a game on right beside them that they are meant to be joining, and when the orgy is over, several years have passed, and there's an apocalypse... Okay hang on did I just spitball the best rugby play possible?!
August 11, 2020
Talk talk talk talk talk.
Not much plot. Loads of interchangeable characters.
The original Broadway production from the New York Times : “It is a play that commemorates a time, a place and a people. It offers an insight into a strange and revealing world.”
Not much plot. Loads of interchangeable characters.
The original Broadway production from the New York Times : “It is a play that commemorates a time, a place and a people. It offers an insight into a strange and revealing world.”
March 6, 2023
what was the point of reading this lets be honest x i like the scenery set up but like the story just wasnt giving like what is it actually about i dont know
July 18, 2016
Boring characters, and the plot went absolutely nowhere.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews