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42-592: The History Boys is a play by British playwright Alan Bennett . The play premiered at the Royal National Theatre in London's West End on 18 May 2004. Its Broadway debut was on 23 April 2006 at the Broadhurst Theatre where 185 performances were staged before it closed on 1 October 2006. The play won multiple awards , including the 2005 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play and

84-411: A dramatis personae : a list introducing the main characters of the play by name, accompanied by brief character descriptions (e.g., " Stephano , a drunken Butler"). In the context of a musical play ( opera , light opera , or musical ), the term " libretto " is commonly used instead of "script". A play is typically divided into acts , akin to chapters in a novel. A concise play may consist of only

126-456: A competition for the design of a new theatre, hotel and assembly rooms at the bottom of George Street. The competition was won by John Foulston , who built a neo-classical block of buildings between 1811 and 1813. The new Theatre Royal opened in 1813 and could seat 1,192. Foulston's buildings formed a frontage of 268 feet (82 m) facing George's Place that was dominated by a portico with 30-foot (9.1 m)-high ionic columns. The theatre

168-465: A decline in the vibrancy and entertainment value of musicals. Entering the 1990s, the number of original Broadway musicals dwindled, with many productions adapting movies or novels. Musicals employ songs to advance the narrative and convey the play's themes, typically accompanied by choreography. Musical productions can be visually intricate, showcasing elaborate sets and actor performances. Examples of musical productions include Wicked and Fiddler on

210-615: A disastrous interior fire in June 1878; by January 1879 it had been repaired and reopened. The decline in theatre-going caused by the rise in cinema attendance resulted in the building being demolished in 1937. It was replaced by the 2,400-seat Royal Cinema, which opened the following year. The cinema survived the Plymouth Blitz during the Second World War , which destroyed the adjoining hotel and assembly rooms. By 1954

252-534: A distinct and popular form of comedy, often considered a separate genre in themselves. Restoration comedy is a genre that explores relationships between men and women, often delving into risqué themes for its time. The characters in restoration comedies frequently embody various stereotypes, contributing to the genre's consistent themes. This similarity also led to a homogeneity of message and content across most plays in this genre. Despite this, restoration comedy's exploration of unspoken aspects of relationships fostered

294-406: A general concept or specifically denote a non-musical play. In contrast to a " musical ", which incorporates music , dance , and songs sung by characters, the term "straight play" can be used. For a brief play, the term "playlet" is occasionally employed. The term "script" pertains to the written text of a play. After the front matter , which includes the title and author, it usually begins with

336-488: A more intimate connection between the audience and the performance. Restoration comedy's origins are rooted in Molière 's theories of comedy, although they differ in tone and intention. The misalignment between the genre's morals and the prevailing ethics of its era is a point of interest when studying restoration comedy. This dissonance might explain why, despite its initial success, restoration comedy did not endure through

378-755: A popular theatrical style of its time, marked the earliest form of musicals performed in the American colonies. The first indigenous American musical premiered in Philadelphia in 1767, titled "The Disappointment", which never progressed beyond its initial stages. Modern Western musical theatre gained prominence during the Victorian era, with key structural elements established by the works of Gilbert and Sullivan in Britain and Harrigan and Hart in America. By

420-415: A purpose. His aim was to symbolize the subconscious through bodily performances, as he believed language fell short. Artaud considered his plays enactments rather than re-enactments, indicating that he believed his actors were embodying reality, rather than reproducing it. His plays addressed weighty subjects such as patients in psychiatric wards and Nazi Germany. Through these performances, he aimed to "make

462-596: A renovated front of house area and community performance space called The Lab. A 7-metre-high (23 ft) bronze sculpture depicting a crouching female actor called Messenger was unveiled in front of the theatre, in 2019. In 1758 a theatre was built at the top of George Street in Plymouth . Originally known as the Theatre, Frankfort-Gate, it adopted the name Theatre Royal after King George III and his family visited it in 1789. In 1810 Plymouth Corporation held

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504-443: A single act, known as a "one-acter". Acts are further divided into scenes . Acts and scenes are numbered, with scene numbering resetting to 1 at the start of each subsequent act (e.g., Act 4, Scene 3 might be followed by Act 5, Scene 1 ). Each scene takes place in a specified location, indicated at the scene's outset in the script (e.g., " Scene 1 . Before the cell of Prospero .") Changing locations usually requires adjusting

546-814: Is extensive and includes major touring drama and musical productions, as well as leading opera and dance companies (including the Birmingham Royal Ballet, the Rambert Dance Company, Glyndebourne on Tour and the Welsh National Opera). In 2019, The SpongeBob Musical was filmed for television in front of a live audience at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. The Lyric also produces its own drama and musical productions each year, usually with commercial or subsidised partners. The Drum (capacity – 200) specialises in

588-543: Is the Latin plural of exit, meaning "[they] leave"). Additional stage directions may dictate how lines should be delivered, such as "[Aside]" or "[Sings]", or specify sounds to be produced off-stage, like "[Thunder]". Theatre Royal, Plymouth The theatre is a National Portfolio Organisation, receiving regular funding from Arts Council England . A £7 million Regeneration Project was completed in September 2013 with

630-525: The Broadhurst Theatre . Originally scheduled to run through 2 September 2006, the run was extended through to 8 October 2006 following huge public demand after the show won the Tony, New York Critics Circle and other American theatrical awards. Following its Broadway triumph and second UK tour, the play opened at London's Wyndham's Theatre on 2 January 2007, following previews from 20 December 2006. The production closed on 14 April 2007. A further West End run of

672-533: The Lyttelton Theatre (part of the National Theatre) in London on 18 May 2004, directed by Nicholas Hytner . It played to sell-out audiences and its limited run was frequently extended. Richard Griffiths , James Corden , Dominic Cooper , Russell Tovey , Sacha Dhawan , Samuel Barnett , Jamie Parker and Andrew Knott were among the original cast. On 24 November 2005, the same production

714-409: The scenery , which takes time – even if it's just a painted backdrop – and can only occur between scenes. Aside from the text spoken by actors, a script includes "stage directions" (distinct from the term's use in blocking , which involves arranging actors on stage). Common stage directions include the entrances and exits of actors, e.g., "[ Exeunt Caliban, Stephano , and Trinculo .]" ( Exeunt

756-434: The 17th century. Nonetheless, contemporary theatre theorists have been increasingly intrigued by restoration comedy as they explore performance styles with unique conventions. Tragedies delve into darker themes such as death and disaster. The central character, or protagonist , often possesses a tragic flaw that leads to their downfall. Tragic plays encompass a wide range of emotions and emphasize intense conflicts. Tragedy

798-421: The 1920s, theatre styles began to crystallize, granting composers the autonomy to create every song within a play. These new musicals adhered to specific conventions, often featuring thirty-two-bar songs. The Great Depression prompted many artists to transition from Broadway to Hollywood, transforming the essence of Broadway musicals. A similar shift occurred in the 1960s, characterized by a scarcity of composers and

840-595: The 2006 Tony Award for Best Play . The play opens in Cutlers' Grammar School, Sheffield , a fictional boys' grammar school in the north of England . Set in the mid-late 1980s, the play follows a group of history pupils preparing for the Oxford and Cambridge entrance examinations under the guidance of three teachers (Hector, Irwin, and Lintott) with contrasting styles. Hector, an eccentric teacher, delights in knowledge for its own sake but his ambitious headmaster wants

882-529: The English-speaking world – to regional theatre , community theatre , and academic productions at universities and schools. A stage play is specifically crafted for performance on stage, distinct from works meant for broadcast or cinematic adaptation. They are presented on a stage before a live audience. Some dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw , have shown little preference for whether their plays are performed or read. The term "play" encompasses

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924-613: The Roof . This theatrical style originated in the 1940s when Antonin Artaud hypothesized about the effects of expressing through the body rather than "by socially conditioned thought". In 1946, he wrote a preface to his works in which he explained how he came to write as he did. Foremost, Artaud lacked trust in language as an effective means of communication. Plays within the theatre of cruelty genre exhibit abstract conventions and content. Artaud intended his plays to have an impact and achieve

966-620: The Sydney Theatre in Sydney , Australia from 4 March to 8 April 2006. At each venue, the play was presented to sell-out audiences with the original London cast, including Richard Griffiths ; however, Frances de la Tour and Clive Merrison were replaced by Maggie Steed and Malcolm Sinclair until the Broadway season. The American premiere of the play took place on 23 April 2006 when the same National production opened on Broadway at

1008-865: The West Yorkshire Playhouse and Theatre Royal Bath commenced in early 2010. This was a new production not produced by the National Theatre and directed by Christopher Luscombe. The cast were as follows: After a successful run the West Yorkshire Playhouse/Bath Theatre Royal production was revived for 2011 with the following cast: In October 2006 a film adaptation of the play was released in the United States, and later in November 2006 in Britain. The film, also titled The History Boys ,

1050-419: The audience could personally connect the words they heard with their own bodies. This approach made his work more intimate and individualized, which he believed would enhance its effectiveness in conveying the experience of suffering. This genre typically presents metaphysical portrayals of existential questions and dilemmas. Theatre of the absurd rejects rationality, embracing the inevitability of plunging into

1092-467: The causes of suffering audible". Audiences who were taken aback by what they saw initially responded negatively. Much of his work was even banned in France during that time. Artaud dismissed the notion that conventional theatre of his era could provide audiences with a cathartic experience that would aid the healing process after World War II. For this reason, he gravitated towards radio-based theatre, where

1134-597: The decline in cinema-going caused by the rise of television led to the cinema's being partly converted back to a theatre and rechristened as the Theatre Royal Cinema. In 1958 it was renamed the ABC Plymouth. It was converted to a triple-screen ABC which opened on 5 May 1977. ABC Cinemas passed to the Cannon Group, then to MGM from 22 May 1992. A management buy-out brought the name ABC back again in

1176-581: The depths of the human condition. Rather than explicitly discussing these issues, theatre of the absurd embodies them. This leaves the audience to engage in personal discussion and contemplation of the play's content. A central aspect of theatre of the absurd is the deliberate contradiction between language and action. Often, the dialogue between characters starkly contrasts with their actions. Prominent playwrights within this genre include Samuel Beckett , Jean-Paul Sartre , Eugène Ionesco , Arthur Adamov , and Jean Genet . The term "play" can encompass either

1218-407: The experience". Play (theatre) A play is a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between characters and is intended for theatrical performance rather than mere reading . The creator of a play is known as a playwright . Plays are staged at various levels, ranging from London's West End and New York City's Broadway – the highest echelons of commercial theatre in

1260-564: The mid-1990s. From 1 August 2006 it was operated by the independent Reel Cinemas chain. The Reel Plymouth Cinema finally closed its doors on Thursday 28 February 2019. On a different site, the current Theatre Royal was designed in 1977 by the Peter Moro Partnership , which had already designed a number of new theatres around the country. Building started in 1979 and the theatre was officially opened on 5 May 1982 by Princess Margaret . Like several other Plymouth buildings from

1302-607: The modern day, The Book of Mormon . Farces constitute a nonsensical subgenre of comedy that frequently involve humour. They often rely on exaggerated situations and slapstick comedy. An example of a farce is William Shakespeare 's play The Comedy of Errors , or Mark Twain 's work Is He Dead? . Satirical plays provide a comic perspective on contemporary events while also making political or social commentary, often highlighting issues such as corruption. Examples of satirical plays are Nikolai Gogol 's The Government Inspector and Aristophanes ' Lysistrata . Satire plays are

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1344-732: The original cast reunited on 2 November 2013 for the National Theatre 50th Anniversary special and performed the French lesson scene, with Philip Correia taking over for Russell Tovey, Marc Elliott performing as Akthar, original Akthar actor Sacha Dhawan as Posner (as Samuel Barnett was performing in Richard III / Twelfth Night on Broadway at the time) and playwright Alan Bennett taking over as Hector from Richard Griffiths, who had died in March 2013. A fourth national tour co-produced by

1386-778: The play opened once again at Wyndham's Theatre on 20 December 2007 running through 26 April 2008. The first national tour of the production opened in 2005, continuing to play nine regional venues. A second Britain wide tour began on 31 August 2006 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre , touring to eight further venues. The third tour launched on 6 September 2007 at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth , before continuing to Truro , Cheltenham , Bath , Dublin , Blackpool , Leeds , Cambridge and Eastbourne , culminating in Newcastle on 10 November 2007. A majority of

1428-413: The post-war period the theatre is built in the brutalist style; its design has been commended and the building has been compared to the work of Denys Lasdun . The Lyric seats 1,315 but has a unique ability to compress the auditorium, creating a more intimate performance space of 787. It has a steep auditorium with two galleries and very large proscenium arch . The range of work presented and produced

1470-810: The production of new plays and has a good reputation for its innovative programme. It won the Peter Brook Empty Space Award in 2007. It often collaborates with other subsidised companies and venues such as the Royal Court, ATC, the Lyric Hammersmith, the Bush Theatre, Frantic Assembly, Hampstead Theatre, Paines Plough, the Traverse Theatre and the Tron Glasgow. The Production and Learning Centre, TR2,

1512-475: The school to move up the academic league table and hires Irwin, a supply teacher , to introduce a rather more cynical and ruthless style of teaching. Hector is discovered sexually fondling a boy and later Irwin's latent homosexual inclinations emerge. The character of Hector was based on the schoolmaster and author Frank McEachran (1900–1975). Irwin is said to be modelled after Niall Ferguson . The play includes several non-speaking roles: The play opened at

1554-411: The storyline stating, "The boys are all consenting adults, and Hector's behaviour is very unthreatening. The boys all consider him to be a bit of a joke and just tolerate it as part of the price of his eccentric teaching style. I didn't write in his death to redeem his transgression, I did it to make the drama work." In 2013 Bennett revealed he was "interfered with as a child but was not greatly affected by

1596-430: The written texts of playwrights and their complete theatrical renditions. Comedies are plays designed to elicit humor and often feature witty dialogue, eccentric characters, and unusual situations. Comedies cater to diverse age groups. Comedies were one of the original two genres of Ancient Greek drama, the other being tragedies. Examples of comedies include William Shakespeare 's A Midsummer Night's Dream , and in

1638-436: Was directed by Nicholas Hytner and featured the original stage cast. The film did receive controversy revolving around the character of Hector, a professor who molests the students. Nick Clark of The Independent wrote, "Bennett raised eyebrows with his sympathetic portrayal of Hector, the teacher forced to step down for fondling his teenage pupils". In a 2006 interview with David Batty of The Guardian , Bennett defended

1680-416: Was on the west side of this portico, with the hotel and assembly rooms on the east. Foulston used thick walls to separate the auditorium from the foyer, corridors and the hotel next door to minimise the risk of fire damage. The whole inner structure was built of cast iron for the same purpose, and Foulston believed it was the only fireproof theatre in the country. Despite these precautions, the theatre suffered

1722-643: Was revived once again at the Lyttelton Theatre, where it played another successful run. Matt Smith took on the role of Lockwood in the November 2005 revision of the cast. The original cast reunited in the final week in February 2006. Following closing in London, the National Theatre production toured to Hong Kong in February 2006 and featured in the 2006 New Zealand International Arts Festival held in Wellington (February 2006) before playing at

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1764-535: Was the other original genre of Ancient Greek drama alongside comedy. Examples of tragedies include William Shakespeare's Hamlet , and John Webster 's play The Duchess of Malfi . Historical plays center on real historical events. They can be tragedies or comedies, though often they defy these classifications. History emerged as a distinct genre largely due to the influence of William Shakespeare. Examples of historical plays include Friedrich Schiller 's Demetrius and Shakespeare's King John . Ballad opera,

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