The History Boys struggle to shine
New production not a class apart at Milton Keynes Theatre
IT'S played to critical and public acclaim at The National Theatre and on tour, and was made into a successful film. Now Alan Bennett's fabulous The History Boys is back out on the road with, it has to be said, a class of 2010 which has a lot to live up to.
The award-winning comedy returned to Milton Keynes Theatre last week and, while it again made the audience chuckle with its acutely observed look at the aspirations of a group of Sheffield grammar school boys, it lacked the same intensity of the previous production.
The set seemed a bit too flimsy and looked almost unfinished. And having the boys introduced with their backs to the audience never makes for good theatre. The use of a revolve to turn the class around to face the audience seemed unnecessary and gimmicky (especially when it creaked and groaned whenever in use).
The boys themselves lacked any distinctive character with the exception of James Byng who had the plum role of the gay, Jewish Posner but they had a lot to live up to when you consider the original NT cast threw out Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia), Russell Tovey (Being Human) and comic actor James Corden (Gavin and Stacy).
Bennett, a former grammar school boy, asks whether it's more important to produce a happy "rounded" child who is fit for life, or create a hot-housed student coached in exam technique and little else.
On one side is Hector, a large charismatic teacher who doesn't care about Oxbridge. He's an inspirational character who fires his charges' imaginations with poetry, culture and enthusiasm. He also has a quick fondle of their privates when he gives them a lift home on his motorbike.
Unlike today's environment in schools the boys accept this brief fumbling display of affection as part and parcel of education it giving them no trauma or concern.
On the other side of the chalkboard is Irwin, a cocky and assured spin master who knows all about getting students through Oxbridge entrance exams but little of life. His whole career and philosophy is built on invention. He does the job – but at what cost ?
Gerard Murphy and Ben Lambert made worthy opponents as Hector and Irwin but failed to inject any real personality into the parts. It was often difficult to hear what Irwin was saying and those in The Circle must have struggled with the quiet dialogue.
Penelope Beaumont as the cynical old school history teacher, Mrs Lintott, and Thomas Wheatley as the headmaster were credible and convincing.
This wasn't an exceptional class of The History Boys but a bronze star for effort.
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