God Bless the Child review – entertaining satire of formulaic teaching

Stepping into the Theatre Upstairs is a return to primary school, thanks to Chloe Lambard’s convincing set: named pegs, collages (“4N loves autumn”) and a reading corner. The children (eight- and nine-year-olds) give marvellous, unselfconscious performances in Vicky Featherstone’s gripping production of God Bless the Child. We, the audience, turn into school inspectors.

School can be a theatre of the absurd too. Molly Davies has worked as a teacher and this is an entertaining, satisfying satire on formulaic teaching and mindlessly positive thinking. Castlegrave Community Primary school is putting into practice “Badger Do Best” – a rigid scheme (with toy badger superintending) to improve children’s behaviour. “Behaviour is big at the moment,” bleats beleaguered head Ms Evitt (Nikki Amuka-Bird). Her agenda is far from hidden: if the author of Badger Do Best approves, they will get funding to build an annexe.

Ony Uhiara plays Ms Newsome with floundering gaiety. Her class sings – in unison – about individuality. But one child: Louie (beautifully clear Nancy Allsop) is already starting to mutiny. Amanda Abbington is excellent as Sali Rayner, inventor of the scheme – cringe-makingly bogus. The only person to embody naturalness is old-school classroom assistant Mrs Bradley (empathetic Julia Hesmondhalgh) complete with baggy cardy and sense of humour. It a thoroughly enjoyable evening and Davies has bags of talent – but makes her case too well, too soon. There is not much of a developing argument. She needs to ask herself: “What would you do differently next time, badger?”

• God Bless the Child is at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, Royal Court, London SW1 until 20 December