Having taught high school drama for a few years, Patrick Davies has a unique insight into his latest play.
Kings of the Gym, by Dave Armstrong, which Davies directs, takes place in a high school staffroom and reflects many of the challenges faced by teachers and the education system.
Just how his former colleagues feel about what they see will be interesting, he says.
‘‘You get a peek into what really happened in the staffroom while you were at school.''
It is all about new principal Viv Cleaver, played by Otago University Associate Professor in Theatre Studies Lisa Warrington, wanting to clean up a low decile high school.
Her big problem is the physical education department, in which ‘‘unfit and un-PC'' Laurie Connor, played by Phil Vaughan, is head teacher.
When ‘‘smart and sporty'' student teacher Annie Tupua, played by Rhema Sutherland, arrives on a placement, the principal sees her chance to make some changes.
The play is a chance for Assoc Prof Warrington to return to the stage as an actor rather than a director, attracted this time by a script written by Armstrong.
‘‘Every now and then I like to do some acting, as it reminds me what the actors go through when I'm directing them: the trauma of learning your lines and long rehearsal periods, the uncertainties and joys of discovery.
‘‘I know Dave Armstrong. I think he's a terrific writer and so it's always good to be in plays by good writers.''
It was also the first time Assoc Prof Warrington had been directed by Davies, who was taught acting by her at Allen Hall in the days when she was its sole drama teacher.
She had also directed Davies in the past and acted with him.
‘‘It's interesting to play reverse roles.''
For Davies there are no nerves or tension in directing his former teacher.
‘‘I've been directing for 10 years so. It's a lovely bonus and we're having a really good time.''
There were other parallels to the play, Assoc Prof Warrington said.
‘‘Paddy and Phil and I have all had long association with the Fortune Theatre, just like some of the characters have had a long association with school.''
Like her character Annie, Ms Sutherland is also new.
It is her first production at the Fortune Theatre, although the second time she has starred in Kings of the Gym, she played Annie in Centrepoint's production in 2014.
‘‘It's a nice reflection of real life.''
Davies said the play highlighted what was happening in New Zealand's education system.
‘‘It's a play about old education meets new education.''
There were some people who believed a punishment ‘‘rod'' and exams with a percentage at the end was the way, while others believed there should be achievement for those not academically inclined, he said.
‘‘It's funny, but Dave is very good at giving you a really good think. You'll come out of the show and have a good conversation or debate.''
Armstrong said the play was about the battle for the soul.
‘‘We all think we are tolerant but deep down many of us want everyone else to think exactly like we do. This idea lies at the heart of Kings of the Gym and I hope the play makes us all a little more tolerant about those on the other side, whether that side is political, religious or educational.''
In the play, Laurie had been teaching in his way at the school for 40-odd years and was really at home with how to handle the children.
‘‘Then we have a young teacher, Annie, who comes in full of today's theories, NCEA and achievement, and we see those two ideologies clash.''
But Armstrong ensured there was never one side of the argument that was absolutely right and the other wrong, he said.
‘‘We need a mix of both rather than an extremist view of one or another.''
Prof Warrington said Viv was a very together, driven woman who wants what is best for her school and is trying to ‘‘pull it up by its bootstraps'' but in the process conflicted with Laurie.
‘‘From Viv's point of view Laurie is a bit of a dinosaur but she also knows the kids really like him, he achieves things with them and gives them a sense self-worth, which is good.''
