Bouncers playwright John Godber meets Charles Hutchinson, York Press

Fri 24 Aug 2012

From: York Press, Fri 24 Aug

ON the floor of the upstairs theatre at 41 Monkgate are two beer barrels and a handbag.

You can guess the play already, such has been the impact of John Godber’s nightclub comedy Bouncers since he starred in its first incarnation as a student two-hander at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1977.

The York home of Upstage Centre Youth Theatre has been turned into a temporary rehearsal space for Godber’s 35th anniversary production for Watershed Productions, whose tour will open with a week’s run at York Theatre Royal from September 5 and will later visit Hull New Theatre, and not Godber’s old stamping ground of Hull Truck Theatre, from October 10 to 13.

“Kuda,” says John. “Three levels. One million pounds. Clifford Street. Seven nights a week.”

He is referring to the £750,000 refurbishment and re-branding of the former Silks and The Gallery as Kuda, a nightclub whose re-launch will pretty much coincide with Bouncers’ run in York.

“I knew your first question was going to be, ‘Is this play still relevant?’,” says John, explaining his unprompted first comment.

“So, is the play still relevant, John? Yeah, frighteningly so. That’s what struck me as I was driving in last week listening to the local radio talking about this new nightclub and kontiki lounge – though that could have been ‘cheeky lounge’ – with top DJs seven nights a week on all three floors.

“After 35 years of this play, discos and clubs may have had their boom, but pubs are closing left, right and centre and there has to be somewhere to go – clubs again.”

Updating the play for his 2012 cast of Ian Reddington’s Lucky Eric, William Ilkley’s Judd, Ace Bhatti’s Ralph and Don Gilet’s Les, John initially thought that the weekend world must have changed “quite a bit” over time.

“But recently I went up to Scarborough on a Saturday and the number of lads arriving for a ‘great night out’ – and the lasses too – was amazing but then where else is there to go?” he asks, rhetorically. “It used to be Benidorm they were trying to re-live. Now it’s Ibiza.

“Thirty five years ago, I wrote the play as both a cautionary tale and a celebration and there’s still something very exciting about thinking you’re going to have a great night out, though my experience was usually a punch in the gob and a dodgy kebab.”

Bouncers runs at York Theatre Royal Wed 5 - Sat 8 Sept. Tickets available here.