Presented by FLW Theatre
August 1-4 and 8-11, Guild Theatre, Union House
Review by Will Pridmore
Alan Bennett’s The History Boys is an interesting play. Like much good theatre, it’s quite philosophical. It asks questions like, “what is the purpose of education?”, “is historical revisionism important?” and “are teacher/student relations ever acceptable?”. Focusing on a group of high school history students about to sit Oxbridge exams, the script explores deep issues, while remaining charming and often hilarious. But the audience only considers these questions seriously if the play is imbued with authenticity. In this, and in other areas, FLW Theatre’s production succeeded.
The realism doesn’t really come from the set, which consists of a table, about a dozen hanging blackboards, and as many small cubes. The latter get casually moved around by the actors to simulate each environment. There’s a piano on one side (played beautifully by Andrew Coates), and Hector’s (the boys’ English and General Studies teacher) motorbike on the other. I must admit that the bike, being only used once in the production, felt somewhat out of place.
The cast, chosen specifically and wisely for their roles, was exactly right. Christopher Runciman’s hard-line, awkward bewilderment as the Headmaster caused laughter in almost every scene he was in. Ben Sheen captured the torment of an unsure and lonely schoolboy, Posner, and sang well to boot. Shannon Loughnane was the arrogant playboy Dakin. All the students possessed excellent comedic sense and timing, showcased in the numerous dramatic vignettes common in Hector’s classroom (one of which provided a humorous reference to popular culture). All held their accents well. Hector, played by Josiah Lulham, was hard not to love, and his connection with the other characters was rich.
The cast was synergetic; their collective power was more impressive than the individuals. To compensate for (or perhaps to add to) the limited set, the polished performers created the reality of Cutlers’ Grammar School by the way they interacted outside line delivery. This was especially true of the boys, who had the “vibe” of the schoolyard mastered. There was constant banter and activity – the heated conversations and rivalries really sucked me in. The same was true of the classrooms. For a second, I seriously considered taking notes during one of Irwin’s lessons, and the conservative school uniform/teacher costumes added to this illusion. The use of the cubes was so natural, that it was all that was necessary.
The sensible lighting design in The History Boys added finishing touches to the scenic separation, with tightly-lit downstage areas for most of the discussions involving only staff, and broader lighting during the schoolyard and classroom sections. Sound design was decidedly simple, with a few different pieces of music coming in and out between particular scenes.
All told, FLW Theatre created a realistic setting for their play through the commitment of their actors, without an extravagant set to fall back on, which is commendable. Only the occasional line error shook me out of their world. Thanks to their efforts, I seriously thought about the questions proposed by the script. They made these issues accessible, relevant and fun. Well done.
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Posted Monday 6 August, 2012. Updated Monday 6 August, 2012.