Can teachers and students be friends? It is not uncommon for students, especially in their early years at school, to show an attachment or admiration for a teacher they find special. This can be a very unique relationship that can do so much good for self-esteem and be held onto for a lifetime.
Badgers Can’t Be Friends, written by Joe Skelton and directed by Hamish Clayton, is a one-hour fast-paced comedy diving into this nuanced question. It unravels it to reveal complexities and barriers existing in the education system on a greater level and their impact on the well being of students. At the same time, it is a demonstration of man's hubris and what it means to make a difference in this world.
The story begins with primary school teacher Mr Dennis or Ben (Jack Gray) and his girlfriend, ambitious business person Katy (Kamilah Shorey), having mandated quality time together on a Friday night. Despite doing their best to bottle the bad day each of them had individually endured and to make the most of their evening, Ben finally explodes to reveal an anger he has been harbouring towards his headteacher whom he has been reprimanded by. One of Ben's purples, Juliusz, a lonely and reclusive young boy believed to be on the spectrum although not officially tested yet, declared openly that Mr Dennis is his best friend. Seeing this as an inappropriate teacher-student relationship, the headteacher ordered Ben that this friendship MUST come to an end (the Ninja battle the pair were caught having didn't help either). Ben is furious about this and sees it as a narrow-minded decision. Anna (Magdalena Jasiniak), the single mother of Juliusz, shares in this anger. Anna had been so pleased with the positive impact of this friendship on her son's behaviour and progress at school that she has rightfully become worried about Juliusz regressing without it. From here, the play launches into a hilarious, grotesque and somewhat disillusioned social media revolution to change the education system… but at what cost?
