Review by Amelia
Ticket were gifted in return for an honest review
Starting as a series of books, Terry Deary begun a journey that took off in ways no one could’ve expected. Going on to inspire a star-studded feature film, BAFTA-award-winning TV series, and attractions, the Horrible Histories brand has now been premiering stage shows since 1999 in partnership with Birmingham Stage Company.
Productions. Featuring fun stories about Terrible Tudors, Awful Egyptians and many more, this current production, Barmy Britain, has been going since 2011 with several parts, and highlights all the horrors our homeland has endured over the span of thousands of years. Diving in head first to bloody vikings, disgusting plagues and gunpowder plots, this production is joyfully entertaining with a whole load of hidden education.
As an avid fan of the television series, I was intrigued to see how it would translate on stage. The production is jam packed with different eras of Britain and the horrifying stories that occurred. We go through the history of britain chronologically and the show doesn’t waver in excitement. The staging is kept simple, with a plethora of costumes and props for each scene, and a couple of songs and raps thrown in. The songs aren’t as strong as the soundtrack from the original TV show, but do their bit for the storylines. The piece is kept engaging, despite downtime for costume changes, and only two actors to carry the whole show. At this performance, Emma Swan and Neal Foster took on the lead roles to take the audience on a wild ride, with Jack Ballard as the third performer in the cast that you could see at a different performance.
Swan is no stranger to children’s entertainment, having written her first book: ‘Cruise Ship Kid: Thief at Sea!’ which is out now. She is credited with appearing in many other versions of the Horrible Histories stage show franchise and is an excellent performer in this setting. Her over the top expressions and quirky characterisation fits the bill perfectly. She bounces off Foster brilliantly and it’s evident they’ve built a fun rapport which is essential in this kind of show. Foster, who also has worked with Horrible Histories and Birmingham Stage Company for some time, is a fabulous actor and has the charm needed for this sort of work. He communicates with the young audience so well and gets everyone on board with each segment.
There’s hilarious spoofs of modern television such as The Only Way is Essex and Who Wants to be a Millionaire, which work impeccably in the eras they’re set in. The production keeps it fresh with nods to current events like the recent Euros win for the England’s Women’s team, which got a very big cheer. There were jokes for both kids and adults in there which works to appeal to the whole audience instead of just the younger fans. The show is beguiling, bloody and brilliant!
A quick piece of advice: if you’re like me and remember all the lyrics to the tv show songs, then book your tickets for the concert version going on a national tour at the beginning of next year. This production of Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain runs at the Apollo Theatre mornings and afternoons throughout the summer holiday’s.
Horrible Histories: Barmy Britons runs at The Apollo Theatre until 31st August 2025. https://theapollotheatre.co.uk/tickets/horrible-histories-barmy-britain-the-best-bits/
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