Horrible Histories - Barmy Britain at the Garrick Theatre   Horrible Histories Barmy Britain The Garrick Theatre London Presented by the Birmingham Stage Company Reviewed February 2012

Terry Deary is a bit if a genius! What a great idea to grab the interest of children in their understanding of history - just serve up all the gory, bloody, yucky bits and let the rest sink in of its own accord. If you have read the books, seen the television series and loved them, then seeing Horrible Histories Barmy Britain on stage at the Garrick Theatre in London's West End will not disappoint. There are just two actors on the stage - the rather brilliant Lauryn Redding playing Queenie whose amusing facial contortions can be seen even right at the back of the theatre, and the equally talented Benedict Martin who plays the ever-active Rex. Together this dynamic duo rush headlong through Britain's awful history from those Rotten Romans roasting sweet dormice, to Henry VIII and a little ditty to sing along about all his wives, Guy Fawkes on a celebrity quiz show, to The Apprentice takes on World War I, to the very gruesome Victorian baby farm, plus lots of other gory bits in between. All the acting and costumes are contained on the small but beautiful formed Garrick stage with just one large wicker dressing up box and a couple of coat stands laden with dressing up clothes as props.  Clever clothes changes and a few flips of the lid of the box and the set changes from Anne Boleyn' s execution to Tyburn hangings, where a rather gory jig is performed. Children do learn something too! My seven year old, who is currently studying the Romans at school, happily told her teacher that those Romans were sick after they ate and I learned that present day Marble Arch used to be where the crowds would come and watch hangings. Barmy Britain is a romp through history at a rocket pace and lasting just one hour with no interval, you really need to concentrate on all the extra puns, asides and gags to really appreciate how much fact is packed into the show.  Every child whatever age will gather some juicy tidbit of historical information and that is the beauty and genius of the concept. We loved it and would happily go back for more, however barmy and horrible.