The Horrible Histories stage show was an event my kids and I were very much looking forward to. My nine year old loves the TV show and my pre-teen has fond memories of it too - the stage show proved to be a hit with all of us regardless of our varying ages.
Recounting events such as the life of Tutankhamun, and the various rituals around ancient Egyptian life, we had a healthy dose of history alongside hilarious sketches that had the audience laughing constantly.
The script was very current, incorporating current affairs (reference was made to the ill-fated recent England match), and sketches were designed to appeal to adults and kids alike - the Make Egypt Great Again scene with the Trump-like Pharaoh was ridiculously good. With an energetic cast of three, comic timing by all was impeccable, and their singing and dancing skills were commendable - the cast is versatile, sleekly changing from rapping to breakdancing to musical-style singing. Special mention goes to the Mummy Rap song - and the audience must have agreed, judging by the applause once it was complete.
The staging was impressive - a colourful set with good attention to detail. This was accentuated in the second half by the use of 3D technology. The idea was innovative and made the whole experience more immersive; we really enjoyed this aspect. Seeing the mummies fly towards the audience in 3D was exciting! Add to this a great amount of audience participation, and the whole show just worked really well. We were enthralled the whole way through.
The theatre is playing Awful Egyptians alongside Terrible Tudors and both are options to watch this week. My kids have an obsession with Tudors (!) and we thoroughly enjoye a previous version of the Terrible Tudors we saw a few years ago - whether you pick the Egyptian or Tudors version at the Playhouse you will be sure to have a great time. At 2 hours this feels like a good amount of time- sometimes kids' shows can be a little too short but this was just right.
As always the Playhouse staff were welcoming, smiling and being helpful, the staff make the experience extra special. There is also a summer wide-promotion on ice cream for 2 pounds a tub, so you can start the performance off with a welcome cool snack after coming in from the heatwave.
This is a performance not to be missed/ It’s novel, immersive and so much fun - you will certainly leave with a smile on your face!