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| The History Boys | 
 enlarge | Author: Alan Bennett
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Category: Book
List Price: £9.99
Buy New: £3.99
You Save: £6.00 (60%)
New (50) from £3.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 12338
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1st American Ed
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 144
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 4.8 x 0.5
ISBN: 0571224644
Dewey Decimal Number: 822.914
EAN: 9780571224647
ASIN: 0571224644
Publication Date: June 17, 2004
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new - mint condition - - Despatched same/next day
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 6-10 of 10 | | « PREV | | |
 Stunning writing, a stellar cast, Alan Bennett at his best May 28, 2006
17 out of 18 found this review helpful
I have seen the History Boys twice at the National Theatre, the first time with the cast that appears on this BBC CD recording. Bennett has produced a gem of a play, dark in places of course but full of light and shade especially when the ensemble cast are fully in their stride. The musical interludes are a joy and the CD version gives full rein to the superb Richard Griffiths. One can only really appreciate this play in full by experiencing the live version on stage. But for fans of Bennett, this beautifully crafted BBC radio production is one that will be taken from the CD rack on a regular basis for an evening's listening. Thoroughly recommended.
Faithful Audio Production April 7, 2006
19 out of 20 found this review helpful
I saw The History Boys on their Australian tour and since it was sold out and I could not see it again I had to buy this audio version to satisfy my desire.
I'm not sure that all of the magic of the stage production is able to carry through to an audio play, but it is good listen anyway.
It is an incredibly witty piece of entertainment, thoroughly enjoyable, and reminded me so much of my own school memories of the all boys school I went to. The struggle between the two intelligent school teachers - Irwin and Hector - over the souls of the boys they teach could perhaps appear unlikely to those who missed out on having such teachers, but it reflects my experience as well. Bennett wavers (or seems to) between taking sides in their not unimportant dispute, but (or therefore?) is good enough of a writer or human being not to load the dice in the favour of one over the other.
More superficially: Samuel Barnett (my favourite) sings and acts wonderfully, all the boys are mischievously fun, and the cast is all round excellent.
The History Boys - applause all round March 2, 2005
48 out of 50 found this review helpful
The latest play from Alan Bennet proves both funny, thought-proking and currently hugely successful at the NT. The characters are all beautifully created and lovable, from the confused homosexual youth Posner to the stressed, icy Headmaster, obsessed with league tables and results. The witty one liners and amusing comments,especially from Mrs Lintott, contribute to an extremely funny backdrop to a deeply serious play, where the issues of the purpose of education, homosexuality and the inevitable competition of youth are addressed and debated. The "History Boys" themselves successfully represent the thousands of hopeful Oxbridge candidates each year, all of them experiencing the highs and the lows of studying and the joy of learning, making this play a timeless jem.
The teacher Hector, whom Richard Griffiths is currently portraying with great conviction at the NT, is intellectually brilliant and extremely impressive, and yet, he is just a fallible human being with temptations and desires that finally get the better of him. This point is so tragic and powerful it evokes great sympathy from the reader and adds to the effectiveness of the play.
A thoroughly enjoyable play to light up both the stage and the mind. It is one of the rare plays that you feel you can watch time and time again, learning something new each time.
Really funny, subtle and intensely moving. December 2, 2004
26 out of 30 found this review helpful
The play is about eight sixth-form students who are applying to oxbridge, and the teachers that help them through it. As with all plays I fully recommend seeing the (excellent) production which premiered at the National Theatre in May 2004 with Richard Griffiths as Hector. By reading the play one discovers the questions that dictate our lives and do not appear in our education system today. Questions which really make you think about the point of literature, art, education, music and history. Just great to read, but the jokes are much more apparent on the stage.
brilliant May 22, 2004
15 out of 24 found this review helpful
A superb new work by this writer of brilliant things. Great observation of nuances and life, and of course great use of language.
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