What is the plot of Bouncers by John Godber?
Sarah Cherry
Published Feb 09, 2026
What is the plot of Bouncers by John Godber?
As one of the most performed plays of the twentieth century, Bouncers is set in and around a northern nightclub called Mr Cinders, with the action focusing on the exploits of the four doormen and their customers.
Why did Godber write Bouncers?
In fact ‘Bouncers’ was originally inspired by Kiko’s in Pontefract, a Polynesian style night club with fake palm trees. “It’s a celebration of the fantastic Bacchanalian aspects of urban night life. Forget ‘Look Back in Anger’, let’s get out there – let’s get pissed up,” says Godber.
What techniques does John Godber use?
Imagination, elliptical language, character and transitions are four key elements of Godber’s early work. These are concepts of ‘Action Theatre’ that students should be aware of, as seen in Teechers, Bouncers and Shakers.
What type of play is Bouncers?
Bursting with imagination and wit and presented by just four actors, Bouncers is an outrageous and hilarious parody of the disco scene. The four brutish bouncers of the title portray over twenty different characters as we are invited for a night out on the town.
Who are the characters in bouncers?
Bouncers Cast
- Ralph – Ian Martin.
- Judd – Thom Faulkner.
- Les – Ian Reed-Golden.
- Lucky Eric – Tom Cannon.
What is Godbers style?
Godber’s earlier style utilises an interest in German Expressionism, an economic and physical style inspired by this and the inspiration of Bretton Hall Head of School (Drama) John Hodgson. His later and more naturalistic style reflects his growth as a member of the middle classes and an Ayckbournesque world of drama.
What was Godbers style?
Where has bouncers been performed?
the Whitehall Theatre
Bouncers is 26 years old and has recently been performed in London at the Whitehall Theatre with John Godber in the role of Judd. It has run previously on the West End for almost two years.
What is the purpose of the play teechers?
Teechers is a play within a play. Three year 11 students put on a performance for their teachers. School leavers, Salty, Hobby and Gail Saunders perform an account of their time in High School (given the name ‘Whitewall’ for their performance). They were particularly inspired by their time with Mr.
What was the purpose of bouncers?
A bouncer’s duties are to provide security, to check legal age and drinking age, to refuse entry for intoxicated persons, and to deal with aggressive behavior or non-compliance with statutory or establishment rules. They are civilians and they are often hired directly by the venue, rather than by a security firm.
How old is Ralph from bouncers?
Ralph played by Chris Robinson is about 25, very tall and muscular.
Why did Godber write shakers?
The first priority was to write it for the theater in Hull, for that particular audience. The people that John’s trying to reach are a working-class audience that don’t normally go to the theater. So you can’t expect them to sit and look at one scene for a long time; they’d be bored.
What is the storyline of John Godber’s bouncers?
The beauty of John Godber’s Bouncers is that there is no set storyline to it. It gives an insight of many different types of people that venture into the town on a night out- revealing to the audience: the beginning process and getting ready for the night out; getting to the bars; and kick out time.
Who is the playwright of bouncers?
In this mini documentary, playwright John Godber talks about his worldwide theatre hit, ‘Bouncers’. From how it was created to how it should be performed, John covers everything you need to know about the hit comedy! Learn more about Bouncers
How do the bouncers greet each other?
The bouncers greet each other in a very monosyllabic way; they then talk about what happened to them each the previous night. This ranges from girls, food and trouble. Eric starts to talk about powerlifting, they then move on to what they will expect later in the night.
How do the bouncers introduce the audience to the production?
The audience are introduced to the production by the bouncers taking on the role of… well… bouncers, which only added comedy to the overall piece, getting the audience prepared for the journey they are about to take.