‘Gotcha’ is a short, unique play of around 20 minutes which
explores the issues that many young adults and teenagers faced during the 1970’s,
when the play is set, and even to this very day. This sets up a recipe for a
great play that has managed to span over generations and make links with
education both now and 30 years ago meaning that all can relate in some way.
Although the problem is still around today, the issue of
many 16 year olds having nowhere to turn in life - once they had left school –
was very common in the ‘70s. The attitude of many schools and universities at
the time was that only the academic had a future, leaving the rest to fend for
themselves. Trying to find work was difficult and Barry Keeffe himself said
that teenagers were either “academic or sporty or anomalous.”
The kid in ‘Gotcha’ represents the students who aren’t always
in trouble but equally aren’t noticed and Barry Keeffe wanted to give these
people a voice in theatre because at the time they didn’t. The play is also set
around the beginning of Punk music and more rebellious material started to be
published. The teenager was moody and attitude became common with many speaking
out and not letting people treat them badly. The ‘Punk’ had been born and ‘Gotcha’
reflected a punk record: short, angry and screamed “what about me?”
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