The History Boys is a play by British playwright Alan Bennett. The play premiered at the Royal National Theatre in London 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 the 2006 Tony Award for Best Play. Plot 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 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). Characters Headmaster (Felix Armstrong) – Headmaster Douglas Hector – English and General Studies teacher Irwin – History teacher; brought in as a special coach Mrs Dorothy Lintott – History teacher Akthar – Pupil; of Asian ancestry, Muslim Crowther – Pupil; acts as a hobby Dakin – Pupil; handsome, object of Posner's and Irwin's affection Lockwood – Pupil; strong opinions David Posner – Pupil; youngest, gay and Jewish Rudge – Pupil; better known for athletic skills than for intelligence Scripps – Pupil; Anglican, plays piano Timms – Pupil; joker, overweight Director on Irwin's television programme (a small role) Irwin is said to be modelled after Niall Ferguson. The play includes several non-speaking roles: Make-Up Woman, Production team – on Irwin's television show Three or four unidentified MPs – spoken to by Irwin in opening scene Other male pupils Fiona – Headmaster's secretary; object of Dakin's affection. Does not appear on stage in the published text, but was seen in filmed projections featuring Rio by Duran Duran during the original production. Productions Royal National Theatre The play opened at 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