THE lives and observations of four club doormen might not sound a great subject for the stage, but playwright John Godber turned the material into a play that has become a comedy classic.

Bouncers, first staged in 1983, is the summer 2011 production of Southend’s most garlanded amdram group, the Southend Drama Society.

Although Bouncers has a cast of just four male players, a host of characters cross the stage in the course of the action. All the roles, male, female, punks and bouncers alike, are taken up by the four actors.

It all adds up to a fly-on-the wall portrayal of life, as lived around a grotty nightclub named Mr Cinders.

The four bouncers, Eric, Judd, Ralph and Les, guard the entrance to the nightclub and sit in judgment on all the human life passing through the door.

While the oldest and most experienced bouncer Eric struggles with a failing marriage and a growing unease with his job, the other three doormen jockey for the position of alpha male.

Alongside this scenario, the play focuses on four teenage girls as they get ready for a night on the tiles celebrating a pal’s 21st birthday. Then the action jumps to four lager lads who are out on the lash and looking for a one-night stand.

Director Peter Nawrat says a production of Bouncers has been a long-held personal ambition.

Southend Drama is presenting the 1990 “remix” of Bouncers. John Godber originally wrote the play for heavily Yorkshire-accented actors performing at the Hull Truck Company. The revised version makes the play more universal.

Bouncers, Palace Theatre (Dixon studio), Westcliff, July 6 to July 9, 8pm, matinee Saturday 3pm, £12 (Wednesday night and matinee £11).