The History Boys at Ilkley Playhouse MOST of us have seen The History Boys, either on stage or on film. It is a play that needs an ensemble cast to play the eight schoolboys, with four contrasting teaching styles embodied in the adult parts.
Set in a grammar school in the 1980s, the audience sees an ambitious headmaster appointing a temporary young history teacher in order to improve his school’s success at Oxbridge entrance. The old guard of the staff are either cynical about this, or could not care less. The schoolboys are quick to pick up the internal politics.
In this first rate production, Damien O’Keefe plays the headmaster being constantly wrong-footed by his staff as well as the pupils, while Gilly Rogers effortlessly plays the only female part as the cynical Mrs Lintott, a world-weary feminist in a male environment.
The headmaster has appointed Irwin, a young and inexperienced teacher. The boys quickly home in on his weaknesses. He may be intellectually self-confident, but, as Scott Bellas’ performance depicts, he is personally insecure. John Wise plays Hector, a complex man, with his penchant for fumbling the boys when giving them lifts home on his motor bike, yet a charismatic teacher, who inspires loyalty in his pupils.
It is a performance that is outstanding, particularly in the scene that Alan Bennett says is “the heart of the play”. At the end of the first act he listens to Posner reciting Hardy’s poem, Drummer Hodge. “It is as if a hand has come out of the page and taken yours,” he says, not noticing Posner, played by Charlie Ison with aching yearning, reaching out to him.
Will Lovell plays the piano in his role as Scripps and does this brilliantly. Robbie Kay plays the priapic Dakin with confidence, and Elliot Benn as the working class Rudge has a triumphant success at his interview, to the surprise of everyone but himself. The rest of the cast gives excellent support.
It was a full house on the first night, and it deserves to be for the rest of the run until Saturday at Ilkley Playhouse.
By Sheila Wright
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