I finally got to see the play

Last night I saw The History Boys on stage. I don’t know why it’s taken me so long. I wanted to see the play before I saw the film, but it didn’t happen. It’s already toured extensively, but I guess this week’s sojourn in Leeds is the closest it’s come to me.

Both Corinne and I agreed that we wanted to adore it, but I worried because watching it was bound to be tempered by seeing the film. It wouldn’t be as fresh as it would have been, and of course, the film featured the original cast. It’s the Nicholas Nickleby syndrome again.

I hadn’t been to Leeds Grand since it re-opened after extensive refurbishment, and I love the way they’ve reconfigured the seating. The sightlines are very good, and there’s actually some leg room. We were sitting in the stalls, in two single seats – it was either that, or up in the top gallery, and we both like to eyeball the actors.

I did love it. It’s such an intelligent play. Nothing really happens, yet it carries you along. There are some brilliant Bennett one-liners (one about Larkin was my favourite), and it’s both literate and literary. I really enjoyed Des Barrit’s performance as Hector, and Andrew Hawley was an excellent Dakin, quite pretty enough for Corinne, and I think matching up to Dominic Cooper. Most of the other boys were excellent too, many of them in their first professional roles.

Unfortunately, the only performance I didn’t like was Daniel Fine as Posner. He was, quite simply, too gay. To me, Posner is the heart of the play, and I had utterly adored Sam Barnett in the film. His was a beautiful performance, and quite heartbreaking. This Posner was just too camp, and it just didn’t work. It made him stand apart from the group. And I think it was the main reason that I didn’t actually cry at the end.

I thought the use of video to show you scenes outside the classroom, covered with some classic 80’s tracks, was very effective, and I loved the scene between Irwin and Dakin.

As usual, we discussed it afterwards in a fab little bar close to the theatre. Yes, there were some reservations, probably born mainly out of theatre snobbery, but it was still an excellent production.