Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain

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Barmy Britain is a family stage show which is part of the Horrible Histories franchise. It is co-written by Terry Deary, Neal Foster & Ciaran McConville, directed by Neal Foster, and produced by The Birmingham Stage Company.

Horrible Histories is an educational entertainment franchise encompassing many media including books, magazines, audio books, stage shows, TV shows, and more.

William Terence Deary is a British children's author of over 200 books, selling over 25 million copies in over 40 languages, best known as the writer of the Horrible Histories series. Since 1994 he has been one of Britain's best-selling authors. In 2012 he was the tenth most-borrowed author in British libraries, and was voted Outstanding Children's Non-Fiction Author Of The 20th Century by Books for Keeps magazine.

The Birmingham Stage Company is a theatre company resident at the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham, England.

Contents

The theatre production is staged in three separate shows, Part 1 and Part 2, [1] [2] and a Part 3 (released in 2015 due to the success of the first two shows). [3]

Development

Part 1 was written in 2011 following a performance at The Lolibop festival in Regents Park. After receiving high praise at Regents Park the production was developed and opened at the Garrick Theatre London on February 14, 2012. Part 2 followed later opening on September 29 at The Garrick Theatre due to its predecessor's popularity. [4] Part 2 has a running time of 105 minutes. [5]

Director Neal Foster, said: "There’s so much British history to get through. We start with the Celts and end up in the Victorian period....Children love all the gory, naughty, the silly, the rude and disgusting and we make sure it’s full of all that....We bring history to life so it all helps you to understand and put yourself in their position because suddenly it’s very real and it’s there in front of you". [6]

Content

The show is set in London, [7] and "features a finale whose sarcastic references to burger bars, bankers and internet dating leave its young audience in little doubt that whatever the crazed excesses of our ancestors, future generations will doubtless consider us every bit as loopy". [8] The Guardian says it "ends on a serious note as it points out that it's unlikely that those who come after us will think we are any less barmy than we do those who came before". [9] London Evening standard notes "there are clever spoofs of popular television programmes". [10]

London Capital of the United Kingdom

London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom. Standing on the River Thames in the south-east of England, at the head of its 50-mile (80 km) estuary leading to the North Sea, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. Londinium was founded by the Romans. The City of London, London's ancient core − an area of just 1.12 square miles (2.9 km2) and colloquially known as the Square Mile − retains boundaries that follow closely its medieval limits. The City of Westminster is also an Inner London borough holding city status. Greater London is governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.

Part 2 includes historical characters such as: "Boudicca, Elizabeth I, Burke and Hare, and Queen Victoria". [11]

Elizabeth I of England Queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until 24 March 1603

Elizabeth I was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death on 24 March 1603. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the last of the five monarchs of the House of Tudor.

Burke and Hare murders series of 16 killings committed in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1828

The Burke and Hare murders were a series of 16 killings committed over a period of about ten months in 1828 in Edinburgh, Scotland. They were undertaken by William Burke and William Hare, who sold the corpses to Robert Knox for dissection at his anatomy lectures.

Queen Victoria British monarch who reigned 1837–1901

Victoria was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. On 1 May 1876, she adopted the additional title of Empress of India.

Reception

Horrible Histories Barmy Britain Part One

The Daily Express [12] said "Horrible Histories brings the bloody story of Britain throbbingly alive in this hilarious show from the excellent Birmingham Stage Company. Bloody, marvellous stuff!

The Daily Times [13] - "Is this any way for children to learn about history? Too right it is! If lessons were always like this, kids would be queuing up at the school gates every morning. Be Thrilled!

"As gleefully vulgar as a Roman poo stick! It's perfectly horrid and my daughter loved it!" from The Daily Mail. [14]

Whilst Time Out [15] said "Heartily enjoyable and loudly appreciated. Britain seems not so much 'barmy' as barbarous, bloodthirsty and stark raving bonkers."

Horrible Histories Barmy Britain Part Two was met with similar praise from the press.

The Daily Express [12] returned to say "Hilariously vulgar, brilliantly grisly - it has the young audience in stitches!"

Time Out [15] continued with "A genuinely sly alternative to classroom orthodoxy, staged with wit, love and wry post-modern humour - I sure as heck enjoyed it!"

"A full throttle, side-splitting ride through two thousand years of British history!" from The American Magazine. [16]

Cast members

Barmy Britain One: Lauryn Redding (Original), Benedict Martin (Original), Neal Foster, Alison Fitzjohn, Gary Wilson, Simon Davies, Laura Crowhurst, Anthony Spargo.

Barmy Britain Two: Lauryn Redding (Original), Anthony Spargo (Original), Timothy Speyer, Neal Foster, Alison Fitzjohn

Both productions of Horrible Histories Barmy Britain have been directed by The Birmingham Stage Company Actor/Manager Neal Foster.

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References

  1. Feast Creative. "The Birmingham Stage Company". Birminghamstage.com. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  2. Feast Creative. "Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain - Part One and Part Two at the Garrick Theatre, London | Also on a UK Tour | presented by The Birmingham Stage Company". Barmy Britain. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  3. http://www.birminghamstage.com/current_productions/barmy_britain_part_three
  4. "Horrible Histories Part 2 Tickets and Dates". See Tickets. 2013-09-22. Archived from the original on 2013-12-18. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  5. "Barmy Britain | Blackpool Grand Theatre". Blackpoolgrand.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2013-12-18. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  6. Post Review. "Horrible Histories - Barmy Britain | Box Office Aberdeen". Aberdeenperformingarts.com. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  7. "Barmy Britain – live on stage!". Horrible Histories. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  8. Jon Henley (2012-07-14). "Terry Deary: The man behind the Horrible Histories | Books". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  9. Lyn Gardner. "Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain – review | Stage". The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  10. Fiona Mountford (2012-03-05). "Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain, Garrick - review - Theatre - Going Out - London Evening Standard". Standard.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  11. Thomson, Olivia (2013-11-07). "Win a family mini-break to see Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain - Part Two!". Radio Times. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  12. 1 2 The Daily Express
  13. The Daily Times
  14. the Daily Mail
  15. 1 2 Time Out
  16. The American Magazine