The History Boys is heading for the Peterborough stage but also marks the return of a former Peterborough guy to the Key Theatre where he started out…
The idea of being an actor isn’t for everyone, but for Peterborough born Tom Fox it was the ultimate dream. The roar of the crowd and the smell of the greasepaint propelled him into the world of drama school auditions at just 17 years old.
Several years later, in 2013, Lamphouse Theatre was born. Proudly based in Peterborough Lamphouse Theatre now boasts Tom as its artistic director and Becky Owen-Fisher as its producer.
Over the last six years Lamphouse has brought their signature style to a host of stories, including Peter Pan, which first toured over Christmas 2017, Beauty and the Beast in December 2018, and the true story of the Gunpowder Plot back in 2016 as part of Jumped Up Theatre’s first ever Platform8 Festival. They even told the whole history of Peterborough in just one hour at 2018’s Vivacity Heritage Festival, with their performance of This Is Peterborough.
And things are set to get bigger and better. This May, Lamphouse is bringing Alan Bennett’s wildly popular dark comedy The History Boys to the main stage of the Key Theatre.
Set in the 1980s, The History Boys, tells the story of eight students as they finish sixth form and face the adult world.
Returning to school for one more term after their top A level grades, the group learns about life, love and literature from their unusual English teacher, in preparation for university entrance exams.
How does one teach history, in fact what even is history?
Staff rivalries, obsessions with Oxbridge, adolescent emotions, and a very young new supply teacher provoke a riot in an otherwise uniform Grammar.
The History Boys is presented by Lamphouse Local, a new project by Lamphouse Theatre to bring together professional theatre makers and local young performers, creating quality, gender-blind theatre.
Artistic director Tom Fox explains – “Lamphouse Local is a project I’ve been really keen to create for a long time. I have spent several years directing shows in London, Edinburgh, Norwich and elsewhere, and coming back to Peterborough I realised there was very little opportunity for hopeful young actors to find professional experience within the city. Peterborough has an amazing youth theatre offering and some really excellent amateur societies but there’s not much in between for young people who want to find out more about the professional theatre world.”
The History Boys is sure to be a hot ticket, so don’t miss out. Tickets are £15 for adults and £12.50 for concessions and are available to book on the Vivacity website.
You can also take advantage of a ticket offer in conjunction with Peterborough Mask Theatre who are performing Bennett’s The Lady in the Van from April 17 – 20 in the Key Studio. Purchase a ticket for The Lady in the Van and you can claim £2 off your full price ticket for The History Boys (offer only available at the box office or by telephone on 01733 207239).