As well as being a control freak, Mr. Briggs is extremely boring when this side is show. The use of the stage direction “at the back, the kids are stifled with boredom by Briggs’ presence”. The fact that by Briggs being there and that the children are stifled with boredom shows that he is a monotonous, mind-numbing person to be around.
Even though Briggs has a dreary, unenthusiastic side to him as shown in the points above, we also see a change throughout the trip. We see him change to a man who cares about and for the children’s welfare and education. This is portrayed in the stage direction “he wraps his arm around her.” This is where we see the caring side of Briggs, he is affectionate towards Carol when he realises she could be in danger and could be hurt. Another quote that shows his new emotion is “Briggs slowly holds out his hand” the use of the word “slowly” shoes his affectionate side. He obviously means no harm to Carol.
Mrs. Kay is a very important character in the play as well as Mr. Briggs. In the play she is portrayed by Willy Russell as being a relaxed, pleasant and careless person, which isn’t a good approach for a teacher. These points are shown in the stage direction “Mrs. Kay sits on a bench.” This action suggests that she has immense trust in the children, or is just not concerned. By Mrs. Kay sitting on the bench shows her lack of concern for the children. This also links in with the stage direction “pouring out another cup of coffee.” The use of the word “another” shows that she has done this numerous times on several occasions when the children need supervision the most, especially in the shop scene and the zoo scene where the children get up to no good and steal sweets and chocolate from the shop and attempt to kidnap small zoo animals such as rabbits and even a baby goat.
Mrs. Kay also has the motherly touch. This is shown in the stage directions “they look more like mother and daughter” this implies the fact that Mrs. Kay is more of a friend to the students than a common, strict teacher. This is also shown in the complimentary stage direction, “she quickly lifts him so she is carrying him cradle fashion out of the water,” this implies that she is an entertaining and compelling person to be around. The use of the phrase “carrying him cradle fashion” shows that she is not only an exciting person but secures the situation at the same time. This point also is associated with the previous point of being tranquil and unperturbed.
As well as being a motherly figure, all the children like her and prefer her to all the other teachers. This is shown in the stage direction “she moves a short distance and all the kids follow her.” The use if the expression “short distance” implies the fact that no matter how far she goes, the children definatlly want to be around her that the other teachers.
Our first impressions of Carol are shown at the beginning of the play. The first paragraph tells us that she is a child from a misfortunate background. This is shown when the stage direction reads “wearing a school uniform which doubles as a street out fit and her Sunday best” implying that she cannot other clothes apart from her necessary school uniform. Carol also cannot afford essential items such as a school bag; in the play it quotes that she is “clutching a supermarket carrier bag.” She is eating a half eating sandwich on her way to school which indicates that she has not had breakfast but yesterdays left over.
Carol represents deprivation and the idea that she is poor because of the points made above.
All this compares to the end of the play because at the end, Carol is still the same person that she was before the trip. The only difference is that she knows about a different place and life rather that Liverpool and has a goldfish grasped in her hand that she won at the carnival.
