Packed with songs, slapstick, rap and enough poo jokes to keep the youngest audience members in stitches, Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain at the Apollo Theatre is a riot from start to finish.
Before the action even begins, Jacqueline Trousdale’s colourful set and costumes promise a feast for the eyes. Emma Swan’s ever-optimistic Queenie and Neal Foster’s mischievous Rex are a perfectly matched double act. Their playful battle over whether history should be “happy” or “horrible” is quickly settled by an audience vote for murder, mayhem and, of course, poo.
Neal Foster’s witty script blends genuine historical facts with laugh-out-loud comedy. Highlights include Guy Fawkes reimagined as a Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? contestant trying to Blow Up Parliament, complete with a tongue-in-cheek Liz Truss joke that has the adults laughing just as hard as the children. Jason Taylor’s lighting and Nick Sagar’s sound transform Guy’s failed plot into a brilliantly timed explosion of flashes, bangs and costume chaos.
Along the way, audiences unknowingly absorb fascinating snippets of British history, from the origins of place names to the grisly tale of Burke and Hare, delivered through Irish dancing, audience participation and catchy musical numbers choreographed by Ken Oldfield, with music by Matthew Scott.
As Foster himself joked, his Shakespearean training counts for very little when fart noises steal the show. Judging by the deafening laughter from the children, he wasn’t wrong.
Fast, funny and wonderfully bonkers, Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain proves that learning has never been so entertaining. Whether you’re eight or eighty, you’ll leave the Apollo Theatre having laughed, learned something new and probably still giggling at the fart jokes on the journey home.
It runs until 31 August. Tickets: here
Review: Kay Johal