The character of Mr Briggs might be seen as a stereotypical teacher brought up in the 1950’s, cold and impersonal, slightly self-important and thinks that children out to be seen not heard. He is always desperately trying to organise the children, “Stop! Slater, walk…walk! You, boy…come here, Now stop!” During the 1970’s the punk rebellion started and people became anti-establishment. Mr Briggs, being sent from the head teacher, epitomises ‘the establishment’ and so there is slight enmity between him and the pupils. When Mr Briggs complains about Linda and threatens to ban here from the trip she answers back and says “I don’t care. I don’t wanna see no crappy castle anyway.” Mr Briggs has very ‘traditional’ teaching methods and sees the children as opponents. “Mrs Kay, there are times when I really think you’re on there side.”
Mr Briggs isolates himself from his pupils and never makes an attempt to get to know them. In the zoo, two girls link arms with Mr Briggs while walking round, he quickly takes them away and tells them to “walk properly.” This could either be because he is worried about other people’s opinions or just because of his remote attitude towards his pupils. On the other hand, Mrs Kay is completely open with the children, she links arms with them and event tries to get them to call her “Helen.” Willy Russell has probably used these exaggerated examples to show that a good teacher would be a balance between the two.
Mr Briggs has pre-defined expectations of low-ability children. When walking around the zoo he tells Mrs Kay, “Well I don’t know if these people can be trusted on their own, Mrs Kay.” He already expects them to be hooligans, and treats them accordingly until he gets to know the class towards the end of the play. Mr Briggs also is slightly sexist, when talking to Linda he says, “Count yourself lucky you’re not a lad.” This hints that he would have used corporal punishment if she had been male. Russell has included this to make the audience think about whether this is right, to make a point that teachers should be fair and unbiased.
Mr Briggs contrasts completely with the other teachers, who see him as a killjoy, who could spoil the day. There is an unenthusiastic atmosphere among the teachers when they find out that Mr Briggs is going, Susan says, “He’s coming to make sure we don’t enjoy ourselves.” The feud between Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs develops throughout the play and seems to come to a head when they have an argument in Conway Castle, Mrs Kay shouts that she’s in a job which is “designed and funded to fail.” Mr Briggs sees her attitude as negative and doesn’t like her “woolly headed liberalism” meaning that she is to lenient with the pupils. Russell uses this to show the flaws in the way Mrs Kay teaches as Mr Briggs is clearly in the right.
The contrast between Mr Briggs and Mrs Kay is due to their teaching philosophies, Mr Briggs thinking that the children should be quiet and learn, Mrs Kay sees that the odds are against the children and tries to give them a good time. If I was directing the play then I would show this in their appearance, Mr Briggs would be tall, thin and stern-looking, while Mrs Kay would be short and fat, with a kind face, this would emphasise the contrast between the characters. Mr Briggs is infuriated by Mrs Kay’s approach to teaching and how she lets the children behave, “It’s a shambles, the whole ill-organised affair.” She does however get to know the children and tries to help them enjoy themselves. Mr Briggs sees her as a “Mother hen rather than a teacher” before they start the trip. By the time they’re on the coach he is calling her “the great champion of the non-academics” meaning that all of the children adore Mrs Kay because she lets them roam wild.
Mr Briggs still strongly believes that the children in the progress class have a chance in life, and appreciates the beauty in things. On the coach he points out the docks where the children’s father works and comments on the enjoyable view “you don’t get buildings like that anymore…” Nevertheless the child still doesn’t seem to appreciate it, this could show little he is aware of the children’s situation, but this does mean that he still thinks they could do something with themselves. He has good intentions as well, in the zoo he offers to do a talk with the class on animals when they got back. “They’re really interested in the animals you know.”
At the end of the play, he even seems to lose his austere manner and suggests that they all go to the fair, he rides with the children and is photographed eating candyfloss. The children love this and have a brilliant time. Unfortunately, when they leave the coach, he secretly scrunches up the film with the photographs of the day after kindly offering to develop them. I think that Mr Briggs does this so that he doesn’t lose his reputation among the students and teachers and still has respect. This could have been included to accentuate the fact that at the end of the play, nothing has changed. Mr Briggs is still reserved and strict, Mrs Kay is still liberal and friendly and (what I think Russell was really trying to convey) the children still have little hope. I think that Mr Briggs is a character who means the best for everyone, but is too impersonal and strict in his approach to teaching.
There is a scene in the play where a student, Carol, threatens to jump off a cliff when she realises how bleak her future is. Mr Briggs is the one who finds her and tries to bring her down. If I was directing this scene then I would have Carol perched dangerously close to the edge and Mr Briggs below her on a hill, stumbling slightly as he tries to reach her, waves crashing dreadfully below and a slight wind so that her hair is blown sideways. I would try to set the scene of the cliff by using props, the sound of the waves, the sunlight and even the smell of salt water if I could find a way to do that. I would put the lighting behind Carol so that Mr Briggs is squinting slightly. Mr Briggs would be wearing his usual stiff brown suit only, due to the frantic search and long climb up the sandy cliff, his top button is undone, his hair is in disarray and he has been blown about. By the time he found Carol he would be exasperated, thirsty and annoyed. He would show this in his behaviour by screeching his first few lines and looking and trying to look as imposing as you can be after a long climb while squinting up at a child.
I think that the turning point in the play is where Mr Briggs says “Stay here? How could you stay here?” I think that he realises that Carol is distressed and is now just curious and worried for her. His face and voice would soften and he would gradually, though not noticeably, come closer to her. When Mr Briggs says the line “Carol. Carol, please come away from there.” I think that he should say the first Carol sharply, as though about to shout, then stop himself short, realise the pointlessness of it and try pleading instead. When Mr Briggs say the line “what…makes you think that? Eh?” After Carol says that he hates kids I would make the actor playing him look stunned at that thought and see another point of view, his voice should be low and slightly guilty sounding. The line should make you pity Mr Briggs slightly as the thought that he hates them has obviously never entered his mind. When he realises that Carol is safe and reassures her that nothing will happen he should sound almost fatherly and loving. When he wraps his arms around her at the end he should look grateful that she was out of harm's way and very concerned.
Willy Russell uses the contrasting characters of Mr Briggs and Mrs Kay effectively to make people realise that teaching should be a compromise between getting to know your pupils and seeing what’s best for them and using discipline and work to help their futures. Mr Briggs is the anti-hero of the play, at first we all hate him and Mrs Kay is the pleasant, caring teacher. But, in the end, Mr Briggs’ supercilious attitude hides an almost fun teacher who, above all, wants to give his pupils a future.
