History Boys set to take the stage

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: JACKIE NOBLE
The cast of History Boys is almost ready to present their show to the public after plenty of rehearsal.

New theatre company Calithumpian Theatre Co. is deep in rehearsal for upcoming production of Alan Bennett's History Boys, running Oct. 7 to 15 at the McManus Theatre.

Calithumpian's debut production History Boys focuses on eight boys in their final year of study at an illustrious grammar school in England. The original production of the play debuted in 2004 and was later turned into a movie featuring the original cast.

As the boys have spent their entire educational lives together, their language is riddled with literary allusions. Art Fiddler loves the depth of the text and deep relationships between Bennett's characters.

“It's a challenging, clever show with a lot of drama but a lot of comedy.”

Calithumpian Productions is led by artistic director John Gerry, with his wife Evelyn Graham serving as the executive director. Art Fiddler and Jim Cressman work as marketing directors for the new company. The company's name comes from the town of Thamesford, Ont., where an annual parade of the same name takes place.

The show is a good fit for London, considering the city's abundance of resources for educating young performers.

“If I were to pick the perfect people to see the show, it would be theatre students and anybody studying the arts and humanities. They would be absolutely fascinated with this play.”

Post-secondary theatre programs at Western and Fanshawe and organizations such as Original Kids and the Grand Theatre's High School Project serve to develop a strong educational system for theatre.

“It's quite a scene, and nobody has really analyzed it to see what's been happening over the last few years. There's this growth of excellent, strong, young theatre people and, I would imagine, arts people.”

Calithumpian hopes to contribute to this theatre scene by producing prominent, contemporary plays that may not be receiving their fair share of fame.

“We're hoping that Calithumpian can find a niche for people that want thought provoking drama with very human themes, not existential themes, but human themes and conflicts,” Fiddler said.

Between Fanshawe's theatre performance and theatre production courses, many opportunities exist to get involved with the company and their performances.

“John has good, strong connections with the Fanshawe program. When you think about all the people who have come out of the Fanshawe theatre program and have stayed in the community, it's very easy to spot them in local productions.”

The cast rehearses five times a week in order to fully unravel the intricacies of the text.

“The play takes a lot of study to understand it outside of memorizing lines or rehearsing scenes,” Fiddler said.

Rehearsals take place at a Dundas and Clarence Street storefront, drawing in downtown onlookers to peek through the windows, which also highlights the often hidden- away nature of theatre rehearsal.

“Most people are oblivious to the whole rehearsal process, you want them to be. You want them just to see the show as if it just happens. But it's also nice, especially in a downtown that's trying to reinvigorate itself, to drive by at 10 at night and see a bunch of people in a lighted storefront doing stuff.”

Fiddler believes this semi-public rehearsal process will create more interest in the theatre community, even to people who wouldn't normally go and see a play.

“I think theatre has closed itself off too much. People aren't really aware that it's going on all over the place.”

The production opens Oct. 7, with previews on Oct. 5 and 6. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online through The Grand Theatre's box office.