There is something deeply affecting about The History Boys. It is a play so layered with ambiguity and contradiction, yet handles those controversies with a sense of genuine care and exploration.
This latest revival of Alan Bennett's acclaimed 2004 play comes from Australian theatre group Glassroom Company, directed by Florence Carr-Jones. It charts the academic and social progress of eight boys in pursuit of an Oxbridge place.
The group, all guided by their own individual motivations, are taught by teachers with distinctly different approaches. While the aging Hector (played by Duncan Heiss) believes in motivation as a form of emotional enrichment, Irwin (Leonardo Shaw) is more detached and provocative in style.
Staged within the claustrophobic confines of The Old Red Lion Theatre Pub, the intimacy of these lessons - in Hector's case, often taught behind a locked door - takes on a whole new meaning. Every micro-expression, every sentence left to linger a split-second too long is laid bare before the audience.
Each of the company playing the eight boys brings something unique to their role; there is no deadwood here. When the group welds together to raucously sing George Formby's When I'm Cleaning Windows or reenact a scene from Brief Encounter in such a small performance space, it is electric.
This intimacy, amplified by Miranda Cattermole's simplistic but effective set design, hits even harder when the darker aspects of Bennett's play comes to light. While Hector is loved by the boys for his “fun” approach to teaching, there is a group acceptance of their teacher's inappropriate sexual behaviour towards them.
This is where The History Boys does not shy away from controversy. In the case of Dakin (Jake Dove), it is almost a badge of honour. As Irwin, who appears to have a stronger sense of morality than Hector, grows closer to the group, Dakin - otherwise heterosexual and sleeping with the headmaster's PA - revels in the power he believes he holds over him.
The uncomfortable facts of Hector's molestation are laid bare and best framed from the viewpoint of fellow teacher Mrs Lintott (Susannah May) and headmaster Felix (Stefan Brennan-Healy), whose varied responses tell a story of their own, each bringing their life perspectives to the table.
But this production will be remembered as a triumph in its casting of the eight boys. Memories of the film will fade as Jack Calver, Jamie Coll and Joshua Hogan in particular deliver stellar, yet nuanced, performances to make the roles of Posner, Rudge and Scripps their own.
The History Boys is raw, funny and thought-provoking in its essence, and this staging is especially strong at exploring each of those emotions. Carr-Jones, combined with movement director Greta Abbey, have successfully pulled off the task of keeping Bennett's material relevant and timely to create a truly memorable production.
The History Boys is playing at the Old Red Lion Theatre Pub until 25th April. For ticket information, see here.
Review: Tom Ambrose Photos: Miranda Mazzarella