in the arts
from December 2005

In the pantheon of “national treasures”, Alan Bennett is up there with the likes of Thora Hird and other theatrical dames. His latest play, The History Boys, after selling out at the National Theatre, (and the subject of a promised film) and soon to open on Broadway is touring up north on a provincial tour.

Unfortunately, the old cliche that metropolitan culture is somehow superior to the rest of the country is to some extent proved right on this occasion. The dazzling performances of Richard Griffiths as the eccentric, wayward, bisexual English teacher and the cool, ironic Frances de La Tour as a history teacher for whom facts are sacred, are hard acts to follow.

The London production was a witty reverberation of Bennett’s deep feelings about education, packed with effortless quotations and irony. A cosmopolitan audience lapped up all the soap box pyrotechnics damning new Labour edspeak spin. In Manchester, at least, the cast tended to gabble the lines, leaving little time to savour the content. A less sophisticated matinee audience was rather shocked at references to blow jobs - not quite what dear Alan should be writing about!

This was a bleak production and much more rooted in a northern context - an Oxbridge scholarship in a Sheffield comprehensive with accents to match. There was more emphasis on the underlying theme of gay feelings that are never quite fulfilled. Mr Hector is observed from the window of Age Concern, groping one of his pupils, whilst riding pillion on his motorbike (a good trick if you can do it). He is blackmailed into going for early retirement and all his previous bravado in the classroom fall flat. He almost abandons his belief that education is a life skill, not a means to pass exams. Irwin, the slick, smart supply teacher is allowed to have his way: always spin an interpretation to gain an effect - everyone can be compared with Henry VIII. Telly dons Simon Schama and David Starkey are the alleged role models for this character. Dakin, one of the bright scholarship boys flirts dangerously with Irwin, teasing him for being in the closet and offering him a blow job on a Sunday afternoon. But Dakin is not gay, merely interested in different sexual expenences. Irwin never quite opens the closet door but suspiclons are aroused. He accepts a lift with Hector and there is fatal crash. Was Irwin groped? We never know, but he survives but in a wheelchair.

Amongst the boys, Posner, the outsider - Jewish, physically immature and gay - has eyes only for Dakin. His reward is a perfunctory kiss at the end.

The key messages of the play are complex and mixed. True, the history boys all get into Oxbridge. They have mastered the game of surface intellectual wit to answer questions. But Posner later becomes a depressive. Irwin turns his gamesmanship into TV programmes and later becomes a government minister. The noble aim of education as learning for its own sake is subverted., and the headteacher is only obsessed with targets, league tables and action planning. Gay feelings are toyed with and Hector has to go. The outside world cannot countenance a pedophile English teacher.

The dumbing down of culture is mocked by a pastiche of a TV documentary on Rivealux Abbey which focuses on medieval lavatories. This is a long way from Lord Clark’s vision of civilisation.

Is Alan Bennett being defeatist- giving in to New Labour, keeping quiet about sexuality, seeing the learning of poetry and historical facts as hopelessly old fashioned? We have moved on from this 80s version of schools.

Hector would not survive an OFSTED inspection. But the play gives the audience a barrage of challenging questions about the nature of pedagogy and we are actively encouraged to think of a response. We do feel sympathy for Posner’s unrequited love for Dakin. The shallowness of bitchy, literary put-downs is self evident. We all remember those teachers who inspired us (largely by ignoring the strait-jacket of the national curriculum).

Individuality, not conformity is the message but that individuality has to be based on principles. Alan Bennett is a treasure, not quite a gay icon, largely because he has been modest about revealing his private life. But perhaps this approach is better than going for tabloid exposure. The History Boys is a play to provoke discussion. What are the similarities between Henry VIII and Oscar Wilde? Carry on Thinking!

Nick Tyldesley