The History Boys as Akthar, original Akthar actor Sacha Dhawan as Posner (as Samuel Barnett was performing in "Richard III/Twelfth Night" on Broadway at the time) and playwright Alan Bennett taking over as Hector from the late Richard Griffiths. In October 2006 a film adaptation of the play was released in the United States, and later in November 2006 in Britain. The film was directed by Nicholas Hytner and featured the original stage cast. The History Boys 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
The Boys in the Band (play) about yourself." While Crowley was pitching the script, early agents stayed away from the project, and it was championed by playwright Edward Albee and Richard Barr, who at the time was head of the Playwrights Units in New York. For the production, it proved "nearly impossible to find" actors willing to play gay characters. An old college friend of Crowley's, 33-year-old Laurence Luckinbill, agreed to play Hank despite warnings from his agent that it would end his career, even though the agent was herself a lesbian. It was proved hard for Crowley find producers and theater owners who were interested.