Skip to main content
1971

The Changing Room

Written by David Storey

Play Details

Context

Artistic Director
William Gaskill, Lindsay Anderson & Anthony Page

Dates Performed

Tuesday 9th November 1971
Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

Wednesday 15th December 1971 
Globe Theatre

Play Details

Synopsis

A stark, utilitarian changing room in a professional rugby league club, where mud-caked warriors transform into ordinary men.

The play follows the City rugby team before, during, and after a crucial match. We witness the pre-game rituals, nervous energy, and camaraderie of the players as they prepare. During halftime, we see their exhaustion, injuries, and the tactical adjustments made by their coach. After the game, we observe the team’s post-match euphoria, disappointments, and the gradual shedding of their athletic personas.

Storey’s groundbreaking drama offers an unflinching, almost documentary-like glimpse into the world of professional sports. Through its hyper-realistic depiction of locker room life, the play explores themes of masculinity, class, and the tension between individual and collective identity. The changing room becomes a microcosm of working-class life, where moments of crude humor and vulnerability coexist. With its innovative structure and focus on the rituals surrounding the unseen game, The Changing Room challenges traditional notions of dramatic action while offering a profound meditation on the human body, teamwork, and the fleeting nature of athletic glory.

Director(s)

Lindsay Anderson

Poster credit

Poster courtesy of V&A Theatre and Performance Archive

Cast & Creative

Cast

Alun Armstrong

Cast

John Barrett

Cast

Peter Childs

Cast

Warren Clarke

Cast

David Daker

Cast

Paul Dawkins

Cast

Michael Elphick

Cast

Brian Glover

Cast

Matthew Guiness

Cast

David Hill

Cast

Geoffrey Hinsliff

Cast

Edward Judd

Cast

Barry Keegan

Cast

Brian Lawson

Cast

Don McKillop

Cast

Mark McManus

Cast

Frank Mills

Cast

Jim Norton

Cast

Edward Peel

Cast

John Rae

Cast

Peter Schofield

Designer

Jocelyn Herbert

You may also like...

Saved

Saved

1969

Edward Bond