Review by Shanna Provost
Papermoon’s History Boys follows an unruly bunch of bright, funny boys in pursuit of sex, sport and a place at university.
The multi-award winning (a 2006 Tony for Best Play) play by Englishman Alan Bennett has cleverly weaved staff room rivalry and the anarchy of adolescence to provoke insistent questions about history and how you teach it; about education and its purpose.
Set in a fictional boys’ grammar school in the north of England in the early 1980s, the play follows a group of history pupils preparing for the Oxbridge entrance examinations under the guidance of three teachers, all who have contrasting teaching styles.
A maverick English teacher; a headmaster obsessed with results; a young history teacher who is addicted to seeing the other side of the historical coin and an erstwhile teacher who tries desperately to inject a female perspective into the history the boys are learning are the counterpoints for the students.
A relatively new work (it premiered in 2004) the fast-paced script showcases Bennett’s acerbic wit and creates good fodder upon which the cast builds its characters.
Head of ANU Drama Tony turner hand-picked his cast from his Year 1, 2 and 3 Drama students and mentored them with some of Canberra’s best and most experienced actors to produce a tight production.
Tim Sekuless, Ross Walker, Simon Thomson, Peter D’Abro, Ian Bartlett, Joshua Bell, Ashley Little and James Czarny (the boys) share the stage with theatre stalwarts Ian Croker as the unorthodox teacher Hector, Jarrad West as the atypical history teacher Irwin, Jim Adamik as the abrasive Headmaster and Liz Bradley as Mrs Lintott. There are also cameos by Stephanie Roberts and Jasmine Natterer.
History Boys is well cast and all characterizations are equally balanced. Croker always does his enigmatic characters with charm and commitment; West is always strong and compelling; Bradley handles with ease every role thrown at her. Adamik succeeds in showing the audience a grittier character, and the boys are equally strong—although Sekuless, who has the dream role as the gay Jewish boy who loves to burst into song, stands out as usual.
It’s a long play (11pm finish), and very wordy. Cleverly written, it is a shame that in the race to get it done some of Bennett’s pearls get lost. The boys come in and out of their accents throughout, but that should improve over the season. Their musical ability beautifully supplements their stagecraft.
The set is simple and scenes are cleverly transitioned through the use of 3 whiteboards and a handful of chairs.
In all, papermoon has produced a well-crafted production of a very witty play with which Academics particularly will be delighted. Oh, but be warned—there is a lot of swearing and adult themes—none gratuitous, but could offend.
WHAT: The History Boys
WHERE: ANU Arts Centre
WHEN: 10-19 September @ 8pm
TICKETS: 02 6257 1950 or at the door
Teatro Vivaldi dinner/show package book 02 6257 2718
Papermoon is the official theatre company of the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
