The New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
Presents:
The History Boys
By Alan Bennett
Monday 23rd - Saturday 28th February 2015
The History Boys is a play about a fictional Grammar School called Cutlers' in Sheffield. It follows 8 pupils trying to get into Oxford or Cambridge and studying for their entrance exam with the help of 3 teachers all with different teaching methods. We have Hector (Richard Hope) who believes in a free approach to teaching. He is eccentric and likes to fondle the boys as he takes them home on his motorbike. His lessons are always held behind locked doors to stop interruption and to allow free speech within the class. He is the teacher that everyone remembers for those 'fun' lessons.
Irwin (Mark Field) is a rather timid supply teacher who is brought in by the Headmaster (Christopher Ettridge) to help prep the boys for their exam. He is an Oxford graduate (or is he) and tries to open the boys minds up to believing that they should write more ruthlessly, with interest and posing questions rather than answers. It emerges that he is homosexual and almost embarks on a relationship with one of the students.
Mrs Lintott (Susan Twist) is the teacher that holds it all together. She creates the groundwork for the students and is fondly known as 'totty' by the boys.
The play has won many awards, including The Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play in 2005 and the Tony Award for Best Play in 2006. It premiered at the Royal National Theatre, London in May 2004 and in Broadway in April 2006.
Set in the early 1980s, the themes would have been a lot less shocking then they appear today. Students trying to keep a teachers job alive even though he fondles them after school would not be accepted in todays schooling!! We have a student having a relationship with the Headmasters secretary, religion, unrequited love and several entertaining songs.
The set was wonderfully created and enabled all of the action to take place without the need for scene changes or excessive props. It was very academic, with shelves of books, a piano and stackable school tables. The actors all moved the set around as the action happened and the lively music uplifted the audience.
Each boys characters were written and performed with a great individuality and style. You really seemed to get to know each boy and their life.
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Kate Saxon directed the show with style. Her use of levels and movement kept the audience on their toes and engaged them throughout the whole performance.
We had stylised movements, songs and some hard hitting facts all mixed in with a much needed splash of humour.
There were a few times when diction was lost a little and the pace seemed to swallow up some of the lines but overall this was a thought provoking, creative production that is well worth a watch if you are an Alan Bennett fan.
PRODUCTION NOTES:
PRODUCTION NOTES:
PART OF A MAJOR NEW UK TOUR
Alan Bennett’s multi award-winning The History Boy comes to Birmingham’s New Alexandra Theatre from Monday 23 to Saturday 28 February 2015.
The cast features Richard Hope as Hector, Kedar Williams-Stirling as Dakin, Steven Roberts as Posner,Christopher Ettridge as Headmaster, Mark Field as Irwin, Susan Twist as Mrs Lintott, Sid Sagar as Akthar, Matthew Durkan as Crowther, Patrick McNamee as Lockwood, David Young as Rudge, Alex Hope as Scripps, Joshua Mayes Cooper as Timms, Chris Barritt as TV Director and Melody Brown as Fiona.
Winner of over 30 major awards including the Olivier and Tony Awards for Best New Play, The History Boysis the story of a group of bright, funny and unruly sixth-formers in pursuit of sex, sport and a place at university. Their maverick English teacher is at odds with the young and shrewd supply teacher, whilst their headmaster is obsessed with results and league tables. Staffroom rivalry and the anarchy of adolescence overflow, provoking insistent questions about history and how you teach it. Their A Levels may be over, but their true education is only just beginning. Widely hailed as one of the greatest theatrical events of the last decade, The History Boys is an hilariously funny and exceptionally moving play about the true purpose of education.
Alan Bennett's comic masterpiece was voted the nations favourite play in a recent national survey conducted by English Touring Theatre.
The History Boys premiered at the National Theatre in 2004 directed by Nicholas Hytner, and helped launch the careers of many of its original cast members including James Corden and Dominic Cooper. It went on to open on Broadway in 2006, with a film adaptation featuring the original stage cast released later that year. The History Boys also had two successful West End runs, playing at the Wyndham’s Theatre in 2007 and 2008, and has won countless awards including the Oliver Award for Best New Play, Tony Award for Best Play, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play and Evening Standard Award for Best Play.
Alan Bennett is one of the UK’s most celebrated playwrights and authors, and in a career that spans five decades has created many acclaimed works for theatre, television and film. His work for the stage includes People, Hymn and Cocktail Sticks, The Habit of Art, Talking Heads, The Madness of George III and Kafka’s Dick. Prior to his work as a playwright, Bennett enjoyed enormous success as a co-writer and performer of Beyond the Fringe, a comedy stage revue which played in the West End and on Broadway in the 1960s. At the 2005 Olivier Awards Bennett was awarded the Society Special Award for his contribution to theatre.
This brand new production for 2015 is presented by Sell a Door Theatre Company, whose recent productions include Avenue Q(2014 UK Tour), Spring Awakening (2011 UK Tour) and Seussical (West End).
The History Boys will be directed by Kate Saxon, whose credits include The Real Thing (West Yorkshire Playhouse); Far From The Madding Crowd (English Touring Theatre); Nine Parts of Desire (The Public, New York and The Wilma, Philadelphia – winner of 3 Barrymore awards in USA); and the World Premiere ofThe French Lieutenant’s Woman (Fulton Opera House, USA then British Premiere Tour). Kate has developed new work for The Royal Court, The Bush, Arcola, Hampstead Theatre and The Public, New York. Kate was Associate Director of Shared Experience from 2000 - 2012. For television, Kate directs Eastenders. The History Boys will be designed by Libby Watson.
@HistoryBoysTour
CAST BIOGS
Richard Hope | Hector
Theatre includes: King Lear (Almeida Theatre), Dirty Dancing (Aldwych Theatre), When the Rain Stops Falling (Almeida Theatre), Noises Off (Ambassadors Theatre), Donkey’s Years (UK Tour), Cymbeline (The Globe), Hard Fruit (Royal Court) and War and Peace, Pravda, Hamlet and The Government Inspector (all National Theatre). Television includes: Doctor Who (BBC), Midsomer Murders (ITV), New Tricks (BBC),Tipping the Velvet (BBC) and Brideshead Revisited (Granada).
Kedar Williams-Stirling | Dakin
Kedar is know to television audiences as series regular Tom Okinawe in Wolfblood (BBC). Other television includes Doctors (BBC) and Silent Witness (BBC). Theatre includes: Welcome to Thebes (National Theatre) and Big White Fog (Almeida Theatre).
Steven Roberts | Posner
Steven is known to television audiences as George Smith in Hollyoaks (Channel 4), a role he played for 3 years. Credits whilst training include: Arcadia and Measure for Measure (Arts Educational).
Christopher Ettridge | Headmaster
Theatre includes: Twelve Angry Men (Garrick Theatre), Middlemarch (Orange Tree), To Kill a Mockingbird(Regent’s Park), Death of a Salesman (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Talking To Terrorists (Royal Court),Democracy, (National Theatre) and Henry VI and Richard III (Royal Shakespeare Company). Television includes: Mr Selfridge, EastEnders and Goodnight Sweetheart (6 series).
Mark Field | Irwin
Theatre includes: I Have Never (Theatre Royal Stratford East), The Conquest of the South Pole (Arcola Theatre), The Critic (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Water’s Edge (Arcola Theatre), The Grapes of Wrath(Chichester Festival Theatre) and An Inspector Calls (National Theatre). Film includes: Brideshead Revisited.
Susan Twist | Mrs. Lintott
Theatre includes: Hobson’s Choice (Octagon Theatre), The Market (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Ballroom Blitz (Hull Truck), Love on the Dole (Octagon Theatre) and Everybody Loves a Winner (Manchester Royal Exchange). Television includes: Scott & Bailey (ITV), Being Eileen (BBC), In the Flesh (BBC), Doctors(BBC) and The Royal (Yorkshire Television).
Sid Sagar | Akthar
Theatre includes: True Brits (High Tide/Bush Theatre), Eternal Love (English Touring Theatre) and The Taming of the Shrew (The Globe). Television Includes: The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses (BBC) and The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies (ITV).
Matthew Durkan | Crowther
Theatre includes: The Cherry Orchard (New Wimbledon Studio), Painted Faces (The Vault Festival), and Pot Noodles and Knickers (Etcetera Theatre).
Patrick McNamee | Lockwood
Credits whilst training include: Sweeney Todd, A Few Good Men and A Midsummer Night’s Dream(LAMDA).
David Young | Rudge
The History Boys marks David’s professional debut. Credits whilst training include: Attempts on Her Life, The School of Night and The Revenger’s Tragedy (LAMDA).
Alex Hope | Scripps
Theatre includes: First Episode (Primavera Productions). Credits whilst training include You Can’t Take It With You, Spring Awakening and Epsom Downs (Royal Welsh College).
Joshua Mayes Cooper | Timms
Theatre includes: Operation Crucible (Finborough Theatre), Chapel Street (UK Tour), and Seven (Invertigo). Television includes: Doctors (BBC), Silk (BBC) and Holby City (BBC).
Chris Barritt | TV Director
Theatre includes: Maurice’s Jubilee (UK Tour), Basket Case (Chichester Festival Theatre), A Peaceful Resolution (Old Red Lion Theatre), The Misanthrope (Comedy Theatre), The Birthday Party (Duchess Theatre) and She Stoops to Conquer (National Theatre). Television includes: Emmerdale (Yorkshire Television).
Melody Brown | Fiona
Theatre includes: Bubbles (Watermill Theatre), The First Chinese Emperor (Yellow Earth), Fungus the Bogeyman (Pilot Theatre Company) and The Tempest (Marlow Theatre, Canterbury). Television includes:EastEnders (BBC).
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