Our day out by Willy Russell - review

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‘Our day out is an interesting play based on a school trip with a group of underachieving children. This play conveys a deeper message about life in areas like Liverpool for people in the late 1970s. The playwright-William Russell skilfully created a strict old fashioned, selfish character: Mr Briggs and throughout the play convinces us that he is transforming into a fun, laidback person. But is he? This essay will focus on how an audience might respond to Mr Briggs, and how Russell uses his character to help the audience understand the plight of the children in the progress class.

   At the beginning of the trip Russell skilfully uses Mr Briggs sharp stern entrance onto the coach to accentuate his personality.

                      “(Suddenly barks) Reilly. Dickson. Sit down!”

This conveys to the audience his strict, military style way of teaching. A stereotypical, strict teacher image is portrayed in the audience’s minds of Mr Briggs. And the audience take an automatic disliking to him.

   Within the first few minutes of the trip Briggs’s old-fashioned streak is portrayed. He says to one of the pupils:

                      “You now very well that on a schools visit you wear school uniform.”

This shows that Briggs is concerned about how the school is portrayed and he wants to set a good example of a good school. However this can be portrayed as a ‘bad’ attitude for a teacher to have. It comes across that he is self-centred and that he isn’t genuinely bothered about the children, but instead bothered about his own reputation. And how it may reflect on him.

   At the back of the coach Briggs catches Reilly, Digga and Andrews smoking. His distrust for the children is portrayed and he accompanies them at the back to make sure they don’t smoke.

                      “There will be no more smoking if I stay up here, will there?”

Here Briggs uses a stern tone. Russell uses this as a rhetorical question because really Briggs is telling them that they won’t smoke. Later on Russell uses the scene when Briggs and andrews are having a conversation to accentuate the children’s problems. And convey how Briggs doesn’t understand the children’s situations.

                  “You said ‘when he comes home’, I thought you meant he was away a lot”

This shows that Briggs isn’t used to the way the children have been brought up. Their situation and upbringings are a real contrast in comparison his because he has obviously been brought up differently. When Mr Briggs talks to Andrews about his smoking he sounds genuinely concerned and. Briggs is curious to know the parents reactions to the boys smoking.

                      “but he belts me”. Briggs pauses whilst he reflects on the reply,

                        “Because I wont give him one”        

This shows us that he is shocked about their upbringing but feels its nothing to do with him. He possibly doesn’t know how to deal with the situation because he isn’t familiar with building personal relationships with the students. This is conveyed when he addresses the children using both names:

                      “Linda Croxely” and “carol chandler”

Briggs also talks down to the children as if they are worthless. He believes they aren’t bright and addresses them with ‘lad’ and ‘girl’. Even to Mrs Kay he sarcastically calls them ‘ a real bunch of bright sparks’. Russell portrays Briggs like this so we feel empathy for the children. Russell wants us to understand how they are treated and how Briggs is ignorant to their circumstances.

   Mr Briggs is used to ‘examination classes’. He stereotypes the children in the progress class, but they are used to this, so it has no effect.

   When Mr Briggs talks to Andrews about his smoking he sounds genuinely concerned and interested.

                   

   In the next scene at the zoo Briggs is with the children talking about the bears. He is interested in teaching them about the animals. He bonds with them more and his trust for them grows when they ask questions because he believes they are genuinely interested in what he has to say.

                      “With those claws it could give you a very nasty mark”

                      “An’ could it kill y’ sir?”

   Russell skilfully uses the bear’s conversation to convey to the audience Briggs attitude. Russell wants us to empathise with the children and understand how they are stereotyped and not cared for. The children think it’s cruel that the bear is kept in the pit. However Briggs says “it was born in captivity so it won’t know any other sort of life.” His feelings towards the bear reflect his attitude towards the children. He thinks it doesn’t know any differently. Similarly to the kids and their limited lifestyles. He stereotypes them but they are used to this so it has no effect.

   Despite Briggs stern, unfriendly attitude the children still want to bond with him and create a ‘mother hen’ relationship like they have with Mrs Kay.

                      “The two girls link his arms one either side.”

However Mr Briggs is till reluctant to building personal relationships with the students.

                      “He stops taking their arms away” and tells the girls to “walk properly.”

Here Russell makes the audience dislike Briggs. He uses his character to help us empathise with the children in the progress class and understand their difficult circumstances. All they want is love and affection. Most of them don’t have support at home and so they see their teachers as surrogate parents and come to school in hope to bond with them and receive care and guidance. When Mr Briggs disapproves of them linking him we automatically feel sorry for them. His uncaring nature is accentuated in contrast to Mr Kay who hugs and links them and treats them like family. Mr Briggs then leaves the children in the zoo while he accompanies Mrs Kay for a drink in the café. This suggests that he is starting to trust the children; he relaxes with them and gives them a chance.

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                      “All right Mrs Kay we'll trust them to act responsibly”

Russell does this because he wants the audience to think that Briggs is changing, becoming more of a friendly teacher that trusts the kids.

   

   In the next scene at the zoo café Mr Briggs is more relaxed, he has forgotten about the children whereas at first he was always checking up on them. Briggs begins to sound genuinely interested in helping and teaching the kids.

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