The History Boys by Alan Bennett, Theatre Royal Plymouth until 21 September 2024.

3✩✩✩. Review: Cormac Richards.

"Disappointing."

 

Opening at London’s National Theatre in 2004, Alan Bennett’s ‘The History Boys’ was an instant hit and helped launch the careers of the likes of James Corden, Russell Tovey and Dominic Cooper, to name but three. In his introduction to the play, Bennett talks largely about his own education and makes a passing comparison with himself to the character of Posner; an autobiographical element to the story is left in no doubt. The story, set some time in the recent past (Bennett is unspecific about it, but the lack of mobile phones means we are probably in or around the 1980s), tells of a mix of bright A level students being tutored for an extra term to gain entry to Oxford or Cambridge University. It is play which both applauds the use of education and one which often asks what the point of it is; is there a right way to educate – teachers Hector and Irwin have very different approaches – the play is erudite, intriguing, intelligent and has great depth. Bennett, in the guise of the boys in the play may be asking a lot of questions, but he doesn’t set out to neatly answer them, but is content to let the audience ponder and consider for themselves.

The relationship between the boys and the maverick teacher, Hector, is at the core of the story; the master they will all remember, the one who used alternative methods of tuition, not least roleplaying, which produces some lovely comic vignettes along the way. The connection here is vital to create the heart of the play and it is here, unfortunately, where the production falls down. In the performance reviewed the role of Hector was taken by Jolyon Young, understudying Simon Rouse; rather too charmless and too serious, there is a frivolity about Hector, he is fun, which is one of the reasons why he engages so well with the students. As a result the arc of Hector’s story is too flat and when he faces his downfall there is no emotion and this is nothing to do with the character’s peccadillos. In a recent interview, Samuel Barnett (the original Posner) discussed the storyline of Hector groping his students whilst on his motorbike which is offered as a comic aspect to the play; ‘None of us thought that was OK in rehearsal. It wasn’t OK then… it’s not OK now… that was what was written, so we had to find a way of justifying it…. (Alan) is writing about his own experience and we wanted to honour that experience.” Times have changed and in some circles, ‘The History Boys’ has been labelled Bennett’s ‘problem play’.

Whatever the case, the script is beautifully written with some cracking one-liners and with a multitude of literary quotes and references, which may pass over many heads, but this doesn’t affect the enjoyment of the whole.

The boys are wonderfully drawn by the writer and performed with verve and gusto by the cast with standout performances from Archie Christoph-Allen as the cheeky seducer – a tremendous professional stage debut; Lewis Cornay as the sensitive, sweetly-voiced, Posner; Teddy Hinde as the hilarious Timms and Yazdan Qafouri as the smartly sensible Scripps; but all are excellent. Bill Milner is the epitome of the enthusiastic nervy, young teacher Irwin (though quite a chunk of his story has been cut from the original) who cannot command the attention or respect that Hector can, despite following the rules. Milo Twomey has huge fun as the Headmaster whose ambitions are way beyond what can be achieved. Stealing all the scenes she is in – and with some of the choicest lines – Gillian Bevan shines as Mrs Lintott, the intermediary in almost everything.

The fluidity of the play is slowed by the multiple set changes – the extremely simple two-sided truck set is obviously made for easy transportation and adaptation to different stages, but it feels cheap and unimaginative; the choreographed movement of chairs and tables becomes tiresome.

Having seen the original production and not seen one since, the feeling of disappointment is pre-eminent. Too much of the comedy has been lost and the emotions stripped out – the recitation of Drummer Hodge originally brought tears to the eyes, not so here. Sean Linnen has directed with a certain reverence to the material, but some of the depth of the presentation is too superficial. ‘The History Boys’ remains a tremendous piece of writing, but a tricksy piece of theatre to pull off.

 

Cast

Posner – Lewis Cornay

Scripps – Yazdan Qafouri

Crowther – Tashinga Bepete

Timms – Teddy Hinde

Lockwood – Curtis Kemlo

Rudge – Ned Costello

Headmaster – Milo Twomey

Akthar – Mahesh Parmar

Dakin – Archie Christoph-Allen

Mrs Lintott – Gillian Bevan

Hector – Jolyon Young

Irwin – Bill Milner

 

Creatives

Writer – Alan Bennett

Director – Sean Linnen

Set & Costume Design – Grace Smart

Lighting Design – Ryan Day

Composer, Arranger and Sound Design – Russell Ditchfield

Photo Credit – Marc Brenner