History Boys Reviews- Page 3

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 8:14am

Don't be dubbing it Tony Victor just yet...I still say RABBIT HOLE (eventhough it's a closed play) still has its supporters being an AMERICAN play and could very well trump HB.

Clive Barnes from the NY POST is Negative on the play and Mixed to Positive on the Actors. He only gives it 2 Stars!

http://www.nypost.com/theatre/64990.htm
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ALAN Bennett's "The History Boys," which came to the Broadhurst The atre last night trailing clouds of glory and awards from London's National Theatre, could well emerge as the cult hit of the season.

So I'm sorry to say I found it hopelessly overblown, overhyped and overrated.

Admittedly, it has one indelible stage portrait from Richard Griffiths - a hitherto underrated actor in the role of his lifetime - and beautifully calibrated performances from the terrific Frances de la Tour and an admirable newcomer, Stephen Campbell Moore.

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Updated On: 4/24/06 at 08:14 AM

[Corine2]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 8:21am

I see it on Tuesday. I can't wait.
I have heard nothing but raves. There are so many wonderful plays this season:
Mr Sloane. Rabbit Hole. Awake and Sing. Tryst.
I loved all of them.

[tophertilson]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 8:40am

I'm so thrilled to see all these great reviews for this play. If, in a fit of xenophobia, the Tony voters give the award to the vastly inferior RABBIT HOLE, it will indeed be a dark day. A superior play is a superior play. Its country of origin should not be considered.

TT

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 8:48am

I would think the main competition wouldn't be Rabbit Hole, but it would be Well (which opened to raves much like History Boys).

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 9:00am

I must disagree...I though RH was the best play of the season, with a close runner up from History Boys. I'd be surprised if Well even gets a nomination. It may, but Best Broadway Play - NO WAY!

[leeinlondon]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 9:28am

If anyone is interested.. here is a link to my reivew of History Boys for broadwayworld when it opend in the UK a couple of years back.



My review of History Boys...

[Smaxie]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 9:30am

Bergen Record is a rave.
Bergen Record - History Boys

[Smaxie]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 9:32am

New Yorker is a rave
New Yorker - History Boys

[Smaxie]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 9:33am

Newsday is a rave.
Newsday - History Boys

[Smaxie]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 9:34am

Journal News is a rave.
Journal News - History Boys

[Smaxie]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 9:35am

Hartford Courant is a rave.
Hartford Courant - History Boys

[Smaxie]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 9:37am

Chicago Sun Times is a rave.
History Boys - Chicago Sun Times

[Smaxie]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 9:39am

Chicago Tribune is a rave.
Chicago Tribune - History Boys

[Lamc16]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:07am

I have to disagree, lacage. While I loved the acting in RH, I found that the play itself was a bit trite and kind of Lifetime movieish. Whereas HB is much more original and rich. Just my opinion.

[mabel]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:21am

Goof in Chicago Sun Times review:

"and Timms (James Corden), as the not terribly bright one who comically concludes that 'history is just one damn thing after another.'"

Too bad that was Rudge (Russell Tovey), who said the damn line twice!!!

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:39am

so the original Crowther didn't make it over...

in the New York Times review, it has a NEW Crowther listed...

sad. but i bet he's brilliant.

it's so awesome to see all these positive reviews for a show that is brilliant (and one that I love very much).

everyone working on this show deserves every bit of praise they get.

now i'm even MORE crushed that i had to give up my tickets!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:39am

FYI, LaCage -- Barnes also gave Rabbit Hole Two Stars, "But once that story is made clear, it's also clear he has no idea where to go with it. It's as though Dr. Phil had decided to write a feel-better play." :

http://www.nypost.com/theatre/62818.htm

He was also the only major critic who didn't like Well, so I think Barnes's opinion has to be discounted when discussing Best Play this year.

History Boys and Well are the two best-reviewed plays of the season thus far (amassing all raves save for Barnes). Rabbit Hole split the critical community down the middle -- half loved it, half (Post, Daily News, Newsday, Reuters, Bloomberg, Broadway.com, All That Chat et al) found it a soap opera. Inishmore will also likely get better reviews than Rabbit Hole when it opens.

While the critical response is not the sole determinant of how well a show will do with the Tony nominators and voters, it has a HUGE influence. So far, History Boys and Well have to be seen as the frontrunners.

[Calvin]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:42am

What HAS Barnes liked recently?

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:45am

Ben's review for the Times was one of the most positive NY Times review's i'd read in a while...

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:45am

Barnes loved THE WOMAN IN WHITE...he gave it 3 and a half stars. The man is a mystery.

I'm seeing it Friday as well!

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:46am

you will ALL love IT!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:50am

And as far as Rabbit Hole having some advantage by being an American play, that's patently absurd. Tony voters are notorious for being extremely Anglophilic and have fallen all over themselves in the past to honor something British over a worthy American contender. Some voters apparently find all things British classier and more sophisticated and somehow inherently superior to American work. Even when it's a "snob hit" that many of them don't like and find boring (eg, Copenhagen, which beat out a couple of first rate American plays) they still vote for it because it seems more "prestigious." Rabbit Hole, meanwhile, strikes a good many people like a well acted tv movie of the week. I'm betting it has no chance against History Boys.

[Calvin]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:52am

Suddenly, I'm hearing Forbidden Broadway's Judi Dench in my head...

Why can't Americans do theatre like the Brits?
Our avalanche of talent is crushing you to bits.
If you did a Chekhov play as English actors do
You might win a Tony or two.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:53am

This is such happy news for a BIG fan!

I've seen this play 3 times already--once in London and twice so far here in NY--and it gets better and better each time.

What are the chances that Richard Griffiths and Frances De La Tour could win Tonys? Any chance that the boys will be nominated?

The only full-trnasfers I can remember that have come to Broadway like this with ensembles intact are Marat/Sade and Nicholas Nickelby. While this play doesn't change the way we view theater the way those do, it's such a great example of the grand tradition of the thoughtful-play-acted-impeccably that it deserves accolades and financial success.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:56am

Honestly, I will be very upset if The History Boys does not come out on top. I find this play to be the complete package, something which has seemingly become uncommon. To echo PalJoey, it really does get better upon every return trip.