Guest Blogger: The History Boys - 4.5/5

Hi guys! Today's review is our first ever guest blog post, written by student Isabel Radice who has kindly reviewed British play 'The History Boys'. You can follow Isabel on tumblr here, or keep up with her on twitter here, so be sure to check her out if you enjoyed reading this review. Back to regular reviews next week! 

When I found out in September that I would be studying The History Boys as part of my AS Literature coursework, I was over the moon. I’d seen the film so many times, but had never actually read the play. I know a lot of students don’t like reading plays, especially comedies, as it’s easier to see them performed than to actually read- but in my opinion, the comedy is clear right from the get-go in this play. Move over Gatsby and The Kite Runner, this is my ultimate AS Lit favourite. Read More: 

“The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - that you’d thought special, particular to you. And here it is, set down by someone else, a person you’ve never met, maybe even someone long dead. And it’s as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.”- Hector.

Set in a grammar school in 1980s, a group of 8 boys have recently received their A Level results, which are the highest the school have ever received. The school’s headmaster is determined to get the boys into Oxbridge, so recruits the help of Irwin, a new teacher who had previously attended Cambridge, to teach the boys the ins and outs of achieving greatness. Their other teacher, Hector, is the contrast of Irwin in every way- he has no clear lesson plans and he is responsible for one of the most iconic scenes in the whole play- the French brothel scene (you’ll have to read it to understand what I mean!). But, Hector has a major downfall, which is that he likes to get a bit ‘too personal’ with his students.

Obviously, I won’t spoil the whole premise of the play, but there’s a vague outline. Like I said previously, there are eight students who are present in the lessons: Dakin, Posner, Timms, Atkhar, Crowther, Lockwood, Scripps and Rudge. What I tend to find in plays or novels that have a lot of protagonists is that they all seem to be carbon copies of one another- in the History Boys? The exact opposite. The boys are similar, of course, as they are all in the same ‘boat’, but this just adds to the comedy as they annoy Irwin during lessons, or as they poke fun at one another. All from different backgrounds, but all are working towards getting into Oxbridge… but not necessarily because they want to.

Alan Bennett, being Alan Bennett, decided to not split up The History Boys into scenes (although it is split into two acts). By doing this, the play and scene changes flow a lot more, and it makes it so much easier to read and understand! Almost like reading a novel.

The reason I feel such a connection with this play, is because during lesson when we study, analyse and discuss this book- the majority of my classmates can tell a tale which is somewhat reflective of the play. The underlying question of “is education about learning and gaining life skills, or is it just about getting the grades you need to move on?” is present throughout the novel, and also throughout the minds and thoughts of students today.

In my opinion, The History Boys really lives up to the comedy genre. With witty one liners, memorable (and sometimes slightly stupid) characters and of course, the overall writing by the one and only Alan Bennett- what’s not to love! And hey, if you have time, I would highly recommend the film as well (or if you’re lucky enough to have the chance to see it performed, you really should)

Overall, I give this play a rating of 4.5/5, and a huge thumbs up from me.