School Daze

Content details

(Scroll down for song samples, characters and plot summary)

It’s the year 2068 and Billy and Becky are staying with their grand- parents. During an evening’s conversation it becomes clear that children from the latter half of the 21st century are no different to those who were at school when the new millennium had just dawned. Look back and laugh at learning to use deodorant, SATs revision, being embarrassed by adults, parents’ evenings, PE lessons, Nits…and much more!

Songs include

Old School Days Can’t Stop Spraying Work Harder Slacker The Nits Blues Young & Funky One Day At A Time

To move between songs use on the player above

Sample piano score

Download a sample piano score (PDF)

Characters

The grandparents - An old, but still 'hip' couple, who remember vividly, if arthritically, their time at primary school when the new millennium was dawning.
Billy and Becky - squabbling siblings. They may attend school in the year 2068, but their conversations and behaviour are evidence that children haven't changed.
Hot, sweaty kids - After lunch, these lot come back to class stinking. They lead the cast through the song 'Can't stop spraying' - an ode to the misuse of deodorant.
Their teacher - The tether's end has been reached! Nobody should have to work under these conditions.
Headteacher - Image is everything - children should be seen but definitely not smelled.
Prospective parents - They're sent packing with more than a flea in the ear.
Hypocritical teacher - Foul-mouthed, biscuit-munching, mobile phone addict. Do as he says, not as he does.
His class - The exploited, down-trodden masses.
4 Sergeant majors - Psychopathic presenters of the popular SATs revision programme 'Work Harder Slacker'.
2 doting mothers - The wrench of waving goodbye to their little precious ones at the beginning of the school day is too much to bear.
Infant & junior - Two opposite ends of the 'attitude spectrum.'
Reception teacher - Her job is her life. Children are angels sent from heaven, here to make life sweeter.
Year 6 teacher - Counting the days to early retirement.
More infants - Adorable.
More juniors - Horrible.
Mr & Mrs Hetherington-Smyth - Double barrelled parents in more than just name.
Geraldine - The expectation-failing daughter. Breeding is no guarantee of achievement.
Mr & Mrs Scrapper - A couple not to be crossed - they'll rip yer 'ead off as soon as look at yer.
Gripper - Their 'softie' son. A disgrace down the 'Dog and Bucket' for being good at schoolwork.
His teacher - Parents' evenings? Mmm. I'd rather wrestle a grizzly bear.

Plot summary

The year is 2068. Billy and Becky, two typical eleven-year-olds, are staying over at their grandparents' pod, in the sheltered sector. As the evening wears on it becomes evident that these children from the latter half of the 21st century are really no different to those who were leaving primary school (or 'System A' as it is now known) when the new millennium had only just dawned. Equally evident is that the experiences of school span generations, and the truly noteworthy ones always involve larger than life characters. 'School Daze' is jam-packed with such characters, and the situations they create form the basis of those magical memories we all have.

Like all doting grandparents, the old folks are keen to keep abreast of the children's progress in school, and to gain an insight into what makes the modern child tick. Billy and Becky are also eager to learn of Grandma and Grandpa's antics as they approached their teenage years, back in the good old days. Through a series of flashbacks we take a nostalgic look at the trials and tribulations of being young, guaranteed to transport any audience to a time of wide-eyed optimism, expectation, innocence, confusing contradictions, but above all fun.

SATs, nits, parents' evenings, hypocritical teachers, the awkwardness of approaching one's teens, being misunderstood, embarrassing mums and dads, educational TV, learning to use deodorant, PE lessons….the list is endless. The ghosts of all these are exorcised through hilarious and observant sketches and songs, which the children will relish rehearsing and performing.