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Lita Doolan July 2, 2009

Horrible Histories ‘World War 2’ presents an epic representation of operation ‘Moonlight Sonata’ that burnt Coventry city to the ground as an act of revenge to Britain’s war tactics. The bogglevision glasses that generate the 3D effects created shrieks of amazement as tiny tots to teenagers experienced the sensation of being caught in an overhead bombing campaign. There is also a hilarious cartoon cow with a lolling tongue that comes a little to close for comfort! The ensemble cast wins the hearts of the audience with their compassionate story-telling of a brother and sister who are sent to live on a Welsh farm after being evacuated. War time songs and warnings such as ‘tittle tattle lost the battle’ are given an airing by the on stage family as they bond together in an air raid shelter before evacuation takes place. Whilst the mother makes sure they each have sandwiches and are drilled not to speak to strangers the father embraces the harsher reality; the children’s stuff is all name-tagged for identification in case the train is bombed. In the theatre foyer authentic material from the era is displayed, such as a signed pledge not to drink during the war. This echoes the sentiment of the show in that Churchill educated the Brits that every small battle was important. The mother recycles old wool to knit new jumpers for her children to do her bit. The evacuees do not settle in too well with the rural lifestyle and after a while they consider going back to their home in Coventry. How much of it will be standing on their return nobody knows.

Stuck inside because of a thunder storm, 12 year-old Angelica picks up an old history book on the First World War. Bored with its droll account of events, she turns to her laptop and searches for the 'horrible bits of history.' Then, just as lightning strikes, Angelica is magically transported into her computer and comes face-to-face with warring countries, soldiers, lice, rats and mud. A fantastic production covering the essential bits of the First World War - why it started, life in the trenches, life at home and the major battles. The Birmingham Stage Company brought the events alive for the children and their families, explaining everything yet making it approachable and surrounding it with cheesy humour.

The warring nations, each represented by a cast member, had the children on the edge of their seats as they tried to resolve their differences in a boxing match. Germany even insulted Britain by turning round and 'farting' at him, adding “with sugar on top” for good measure. The reality of life in the trenches was shown to Angelica and the audience by solider, Private Paul Taylor. The conditions he faced were made real by the excellent sound effects, in particular the squelching mud noise and the sound of another soldier's leg being broken and amputated – the creaking noise really making the audience squirm in their seats.

The best bit of the show was definitely the second half- all in 'boggle vision'. (That's 3D to you and me.) Not only did the boggle vision glasses themselves cause great excitement, but the effects were dazzling. Huge rats and lice leapt into the audience- much to the distress of a nearby mother, who shouted: “ I don't like it!”, above her children's laughter. Then followed a German tank attack in the Battle of the Somme – causing the audience to duck the flying debris and later, after the sinking of the Lusitania, severed heads with dangling eye balls.

The production sobered up for a sombre and poignant ending - Paul telling Angelica to remember those who died, to ensure it wasn't in vain. The lights gradually went down as poppies floated through the boggle vision sky.

The small cast of four did a fantastic job and the production as a whole not only caught the imagination of the children in the audience, but amazed them with special effects. If only all history lessons were this good.

Vicky Hancock 30 Jun 2009

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