Alan Bennett

'National teddy bear'

Alan Bennett's latest play, The History Boys, has bought him success again on stage, on the radio and now on film. It was a huge hit on Broadway, is still touring the UK and the film is now in cinemas. From Beyond the Fringe to Untold Stories, he's not often been out of the public eye.

• Birthday boy: Blake Morrison salutes Alan Bennett on this 75th birthday as 'the comic writer who became a national treasure' (The Guardian, 7 May 2009).
• The Guardian profile: Alan Bennett. 'He has been called everything from national treasure and prose laureate to curmudgeon laureate and Oracle of Little England. Yet the difference between Bennett the man and Bennett the image remains an enigma.' Aida Edemariam in The Guardian, May 14, 2004.
• Alan Bennett page on screenonline from the BFI has an emphasis on his work for television and film.

The History Boys

Own your own copy

• The script of The History Boys in paperback.
• An audiobook version of the excellent BBC Radio 3 production with the original cast is available on CD.
• The film version of The History Boys is now on DVD.

Making history with The History Boys

• The History Boys wins six awards on Broadway's big night: There were six Tony Awards for The History Boys, including best play. Best actor was Richard Griffiths and Frances de la Tour was named best supporting actress. See also the Tony Awards site.
• History in the making as Bennett play matches Miller's Salesman: Mark Brown in The Guardian, June 13, 2006
• In praise of ... The History Boys: Guardian leader, 13 June 2006: 'The drama makes the impact it does because it comes in an era where education is about marketable skills and endless cramming for exams.'
• Class act: 'England's soccer may be pedestrian, its cricket injury-prone and its rugby fallible, but at least its theatre retains championship status' - Michael Billington reflects on the play's success in the The Guardian's Culture Vulture Blog, 12 June 2006
• School daze: to assist Americans flocking to see this 'madly enjoyable play' (New York Times: see below for more) Time Out New York publishes 'a primer on British education to ace The History Boys': 'The public schools are really private. Teenagers attend grammar school. And the Dons have nothing to do with the Mafia.'
• Film version released in UK on 13 October 2006: see the Fox Films site for details. Peter Bradshaw's review in The Guardian is less than enthusiastic: perhaps this is another case of the film not living up to the original? See above for the DVD version of this film.

Reviews

• The History Boys, National Theatre, London: 'subtle, deep-wrought and immensely funny play about the value and meaning of education.... In short, a superb, life-enhancing play' - review by Michael Billington, May 19, 2004.
• Top of the class: Alan Bennett's new play is not just about history - it makes history. Michael Billington hails a masterpiece in The Guardian, May 29, 2004.
• Rivals for Young Hearts and Minds in Alan Bennett's 'History Boys': New York Times reviewer praises this 'madly enjoyable play by Alan Bennett', April 24, 2006.
• Alan Bennett's play takes Broadway by storm: The Guardian, April 25, 2006.
• Time Out New York review of the production at Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway (27 April 2006): 'It should be a mandatory assignment for every playwright and performer in the city.'

Other books by Alan Bennett

• The Complete Talking Heads: a collection of twelve monologues for television; a popular post-16 text.
• Talking Heads is also available as two BBC Radio Collections: Talking Heads No. 1 and Talking Heads 2.
• Writing Home a collection of Alan Bennett's prose writings, assembled by Bennett himself from over a quarter of a century of diaries, reminiscences, broadcasting and reviews.
• Find more books and audiobooks by Alan Bennett on Amazon