<p>Nation’s favourite play makes London comeback amid renewed debate about future of humanities teaching</p><p>The History Boys is to return to the West End for the first time in two decades, with a warning from its director of an “almost terminal decline” in humanities teaching in state schools.</p><p>Nicholas Hytner, who directed Alan Bennett’s play at the National Theatre and its <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/oct/15/comedy.drama">2006 film adaptation</a>, said the themes of education, history and the value of literature for its own sake felt especially relevant amid renewed debate about what schools should teach.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/oct/22/west-end-alan-bennett-the-history-boys-nicholas-hytner-theatre">Continue reading...</a>
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West End to get another lesson from The History Boys two decades on
<p>Nation’s favourite play makes London comeback amid renewed debate about future of humanities teaching</p><p>The History Boys is to return to the West End for the first time in two decades, with a warning from its director of an “almost terminal decline” in humanities teaching in state schools.</p><p>Nicholas Hytner, who directed Alan Bennett’s play at the National Theatre and its <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/oct/15/comedy.drama">2006 film adaptation</a>, said the themes of education, history and the value of literature for its own sake felt especially relevant amid renewed debate about what schools should teach.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/oct/22/west-end-alan-bennett-the-history-boys-nicholas-hytner-theatre">Continue reading...</a>