The History Boys

The History Boys was first performed to critical acclaim at the National Theatre in 2004 before transferring to the West End and then made into a film which was a box office hit. Its themes of education and entitlement remain just as relevant today as then.

Set in the early 1980s, the play focuses around the preparation of eight boys for the Oxbridge entrance exams, an unprecedented number for this particular school. Proud of this but, more importantly, out to capitalize on the enhanced prospects for the school's future that could follow if all eight are accepted, the Headmaster hires a special tutor to prepare the boys for the exams. It is in the midst of this cram course that the drama unfolds, encompassing academic competition, the purpose of education, the teaching of history and the chaotic developments of adolescent sexuality and coming of age. The boys are unruly, gifted and endearing whilst their teachers are eccentric and innovative.

The play is funny and charming, poignant and challenging