The teaching profession is one of the most important vocations in terms of its impact on future generations. Yet at the same time, teachers are undervalued and in each decade, they have to tackle particular ‘problems’ and ‘mindsets’ that are unique to each generation. Invariably, the present generation is viewed by society as the ‘most misbehaved’. The only thing that is consistent is that schools are underresourced and ‘problem pupils’ are ever in danger of falling through cracks in the system…

Written by Emma Anderson and directed by Tian Brown-Sampson, The Lesson takes place over the course of a week at an underfunded secondary school in southwest London. As the school’s drama teacher, Clara (Geebs Marie Williams) is one of the few members of staff who is ‘respected’ by her class and who are also ‘enthusiastic’ about being there.

Ashani (Kamanzie Gakuru) is super-enthusiastic and in a different era would be labelled a ‘teacher’s pet’. Kayleigh (Ashling O’Shea) also likes ‘drama’ (in more ways than one) but like a lot of teenagers who have always used smartphones and social media, being without her phone during lessons ‘induces anxiety’. Paradoxically, while Kayleigh at an emotional level understands the nuances of human behaviour, she has a hard time articulating this with words. In contrast to both girls is Charity (Flo Crompton). While her ‘family situation’ is well-known to her peers at school, Charity has probably a better appreciation of the way relationships ‘should’ work than the rest of her classmates, which occasionally manifests in Clara’s drama class.

Then there’s Daniella (Savannah Ayoade-Greaves). Considered a ‘lost cause’ by Abi (Francesca Isherwood) – Clara’s superior at school – Daniella ‘doesn’t suffer fools gladly’ and her ‘uncompromising’ behaviour is interpreted as anti-authoritarian. But it isn’t the opinions of the teaching establishment who ‘gets under Daniella’s skin’. It is her peers at school who at times misinterpret her actions, leading to retorts and counter-retorts. It’s only through Clara’s unending efforts that Daniella hasn’t been expelled from school and sent to the pupil referral units. As someone who makes a conscious effort to keep tabs on the lives of pupils outside school hours, Clara knows there is so much that ‘the system’ doesn’t take into consideration and that ‘behaviour in the classroom’ is often symptomatic of issues at home or the wider world.

In many ways The Lesson hinges on Clara not giving up on Daniella, and by her steadfast example, expecting both Abi and her drama class to not give up on Daniella either. But even the best intentions can go awry and as Clara finds out, ‘fighting the battle’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘winning the war’…

The play is well-cast and it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the respective roles. Ayoade-Greaves’ presence as Daniella suffuses the whole play, as her character’s presence casts a shadow on everything and everyone. Even when Daniella isn’t on stage, the turn of events – obliquely or directly – are a response to her. Her ‘tragedy’ is that the world at large hasn’t taken the time to see things from her persective and her ‘abrasive’ behaviour is assumed to be her ‘one defining trait’.

As for the relationship between Abi and Clara, the passive-aggressive comments each makes denotes the division between them, despite supposedly being on the same team. Why should Clara go the pub with colleagues, when there is clearly nothing in common with those who ‘care’ and those who ‘don’t’?

Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is often considered one of the most important plays of the 20th century, its themes and structure lends itself to multiple levels of meaning and analogy. Playwright Anderson astutely uses this play as the reading text for The Lesson’s pupils, who find parallels between the relationship of Abigail Williams and John Proctor, questioning who really had the power during- and post-affair. In reality, the study of this play within The Lesson is a way for Clara to teach her class to ask questions about power dynamics in relationships, especially between men and women of significant age gaps, and an inroad to Daniella’s own circumstances.

The Lesson doesn’t pretend to have all the answers. Rather it holds a mirror to the ‘unwinnable’ battle that teachers face when they try to address pupils as human beings and not as statistics who are on the premises for a few hours each week.

© Michael Davis 2024

The Lesson ran at Theatre503 from 30th January to 3rd February.