Reviews Sheffield Published 23 May 2013

The History Boys

Crucible Theatre ⋄ 16th May - 8th June 2013

An education.

John Murphy

There’s an inevitable added degree of poignancy to this revival of Alan Bennett’s modern classic, coming as it does so soon after the sad death of Richard Griffiths in March. The role of Hector, the inspiring but lonely and disillusioned teacher, is one that has come to be associated with him almost as much as Withnail’s Uncle Monty and it’s difficult not to feel for Matthew Kelly, who has the unenviable task of playing the part here.

It’s appropriate that a season which has celebrated Sheffield as a city – beginning with the revamped The Full Monty and continuing with 20 Tiny Plays About Sheffield – should end with Bennett’s play. Director Michael Longhurst, fresh from helming Cannibals at the Royal Exchange in Manchester, has brought the boys home. His revival is flashy and energetic, granting Kelly a show-stopping entrance on a motorcycle in the midst of a crowd of singing and dancing schoolboys. There’s an initial worry that Longhurst is trying to turn the play into a Sheffield follow-up to Loserville, but – eventually – once the smoke clears and the music dims he allows the strengths of the text to shine through.

Kelly wisely resists the temptation to impersonate Griffiths, instead playing Hector with an understated, slightly melancholic air. Even when inspiring his pupils by encouraging them to perform mini-plays or enact a visit to a brothel entirely in French, the air of loneliness is always palpable. Nine years ago when The History Boys premiered, it may just have been possible to play the notion of a teacher fondling his pupils for laughs, but in a post-Yewtree world Hector’s actions take on a much darker hue. It’s a credit to Kelly’s performance (and Bennett’s writing, of course) that he doesn’t comes across as sinister or predatory, yet it also makes clear that his actions are not without consequences for all involved.

His restrained performance is also a generous one, allowing the rest of the cast room to breathe. The young ensemble has big shoes to fill, but they mostly manage to escape the shadows of Messrs Cooper, Barnett, Corden, Tovey and Parker. Oliver Coopersmith in particular stands out as Posner, the “small, homosexual Jew from Sheffield”, while Tom Rhys-Harries is a dashing and charismatic Dakin. Will Featherstone, as Scripps, gets many of Bennett’s funniest lines and he delivers them with expert timing. The older members of the cast also impress, with Edwin Thomas – in his first professional stage appearance – convincingly arrogant yet vulnerable as the new, idealistic teacher Irwin and Julia St John stealing scenes as Hector’s confidante and fellow teacher, Mrs Lintott.

Chloe Lamford’s set design initially looks messy and cluttered, with desks and lockers piled up like rubbish at the back of the stage, but it rather effectively recreates the 80s days of education funding cuts: cuts that are, sadly, all too relevant to today’s pupils. There are also some inventive touches like encasing the headteacher’s office in a glass box, symbolically distancing from his staff and pupils, and it’s a nice touch – if slightly distracting at times – to have the cast mill around in the background, chatting and loitering while the scenes play out at the front of stage, creating a sense of school – and a world – beyond Hector’s classroom.

Some of the choreographed sequences and bursts of music feel a bit jarring and out of place in what is essentially a play of ideas – and with a running time of three hours there are places when the production flags a bit. Yet Longhurst’s revival demonstrates what a smart piece of writing this play is and how many of Bennett’s arguments resonate still, making it a fine choice to bring the curtain down on what has been another excellent season for Sheffield Theatres.

Advertisement


John Murphy

John is the former editor of, and current contributor to, musicOMH. He lives in Sheffield, in the shadow of the famous Crucible and Lyceum theatres, and also reviews in nearby Leeds and Manchester. John is also a huge fan of stand-up comedy, and can be often be found in one of Sheffield's comedy clubs, laughing like a madman.

The History Boys Show Info


Produced by Sheffield Theatres

Directed by Michael Longhurst

Written by Alan Bennett

Cast includes Matthew Kelly, Edwin Thomas, Oliver Coopersmith, Tom Rhys Harries, Will Featherstone, Julia St John

Link http://sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/

Advertisement


the
Exeunt
newsletter


Enter your email address below to get an occasional email with Exeunt updates and featured articles.


Advertisement