Top of the Class

The History Boys cast shot from classroom to super stardom, but what came next? Jane Watkins finds out

 

 

TEN years ago, the film version of Alan Bennett’s hit play The History Boys was released, bringing the multiaward-winning production to a new audience following runs at the National Theatre, in the West End, in Australia and Hong Kong and on Broadway. Its young cast became stars and, unusually, many of them are now even hotter properties in this country and in the USA.

Probably the most successful has been James Corden, who has taken America by storm as a chat-show host. One of the most popular segments of his Late Late Show is ‘Carpool Karaoke’, in which he rides around in a car with a celebrity singing along to their hits with his characteristic abandon. His ride with Adele drew more than 110 million internet views and that with Michelle Obama had 34 million views in the first five days. During the History Boys run, he was encouraged to write by the playwright, the result being Gavin & Stacey. Overexposure almost led to the end of his career, but he stormed back with One Man, Two Guvnors. He was made an OBE in 2015.

Currently receiving praise for this performance as J. K. Rowling’s boy wizard all grown up in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Jamie Parker has been building a stellar reputation in British theatre, garnering acclaim for his Prince Hal at Shakespeare’s Globe (where he became one of the potential successors to Dominic Dromgoole) and as a musical-theatre star in such shows as the recent Guys and Dolls and at the Proms last year.