Americans’ list of beloved British schoolboys probably pretty much stops after Ron, Draco and Harry. But a new brood of besuited Brits arrived this weekend to win over hearts in Evanston. “The History Boys,” a dramedy written by Alan Bennett and directed by Caroline Siede, follows eight British prep school boys vying for acceptance to Cambridge and Oxford.
“The History Boys” pushed the envelope with edgy themes but conquered them with coolest-guy-in-the-class ease. Even at a university that’s seen its fair share of scandal, audience members tensed up when controversial English teacher Hector (Alex Jacobs) is revealed to have had inappropriate relations with his pupils. His class of boys loves him all the same, though, making it that much more bothersome when new teacher Irwin (Ryan Hynes) arrives to shake up the curriculum (and more). Star pupil and resident bad boy Dakin (Pat Buetow) becomes a bit more than a teacher’s pet to Irwin, while remaining the object of Posner’s (Ed Wasserman) unrequited affection as well.
Wasserman’s quietly poignant performance tugged at exactly the right heartstring, leaving us somewhere between laughter and tears. We sympathized with his struggle to resist the charms of Buetow’s Dakin, who exuded a maddeningly subtle manipulative power, and we squirmed in the brilliantly tense moments between Posner and Hector. Equally captivating was the contrast between Dakin’s quiet bravado and Hynes’ slick, magnetic manipulation. The latter represented knowledge as power, while Hector espoused holistic knowledge, and the tension arising from the schism between these philosophies was brilliantly portrayed.
But what was truly impressive was how Jacobs managed to keep unquestionably lovable a character who’s done unforgivable things. Ever the genial and well-liked character, it was in moments of outburst, like Hector’s jolting transformation from affable to stormy, when characters took us by surprise in outflows of pent-up emotion that the whole cast truly shone. Victoria Cano as Lintott stood out not just for being the play’s lone female, but also for her delightfully strong performance. And though Aaron White’s Rudge speaks only in intermittent grunts, each line was delivered with hilarious gusto, his true depth shining in his unexpectedly candid college-interview speech. The diverse cast came together to form an ensemble that amplified one another’s endearing qualities – the drama was counter-balanced with the perfect level of British snark, and even silliness eased the tension in the form of Will Kazda’s infectious turn as lovable bad-boy Timms.
Adding to the show’s easy edginess was a spot-on period staging of Britain in the 1980s, complete with film projections between scenes set to Culture Club and Duran Duran. The complex, leveled set was beautiful to behold, as were the costumes and notably well-practiced accents.
But beneath the suits, ties and charm lies a story particularly resonant in an age of crazy-competitive college admissions. Belying it all are the central questions of power and desire – whether it’s pursued through sex or through knowledge, everyone longs to be the one in charge.
– Maggie Gorman
