Birmingham Stage Company’s production of Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain – Part Four! opened at Apollo Theatre on 6 August.
We all want to meet people from history. The trouble is everyone is dead! So it’s time to prepare yourselves for Horrible Histories live on stage with Barmy Britain – Part Four!
Be reduced to rubble by the ruthless Romans! Would you be shaken or stirred by Richard III? Will Queen Elizabeth I endure her terrible teeth? Would you be hanged by King James I for being a witch? Mount a mutiny against King Henry VIII! See Mary Tudor knock the spots off Mary Queen of Scots! Peep into the world of Samuel Pepys and help Georgian detectives find the headless man! Take a trip into the night with the night soil men and discover how to survive the first ever train ride!
After seven sensational years in the West End, Barmy Britain is back!
The Artiscape spoke with Pip Chamberlain on his role in the play.
His previous credits for Birmingham Stage Company include Horrible Histories: Best of Barmy Britain (international tour), Horrible Histories: More Best of Barmy Britain, Horrible Histories: Terrible Tudors, Horrible Histories: Vile Victorians (UK tour) and Horrible Histories: Wicked Warwick (Warwick Castle).
Pip has performed on Horrible Histories for 10 years. He told us this was his third Barmy Britain show. “As a child, I was a big fan of the books. It’s amazing that after 25+ years the books are still engaging kids (and adults) in History and I’m sure it will for many generations to come” says Pip.
What attracted Pip to the script?
“It’s everything you’d expect from Horrible Histories: subversive, engaging, anarchic, silly, and rude with good dose of poo thrown in for good measure,” he tells us.
We asked Pip what will be most challenging in taking on the role?
He told us “All 19 roles, I’ve had to work on my repertoire of accents! Also, there’s just two of us up there and we never leave the stage. It’s like a 70 minute rollercoaster ride, once you are on there’s no getting off.”
His key to performing in roles like this he tells us”Do your research and stay hydrated!”
What is Pip most looking forward to in performing in this play?
“I’ve learned to like all the parts, even if some were horrible people! Mary Tudor is a lot of fun to play, the dress is amazing to move in but weighs an absolute tonne!”, says Pip.
What does he think children will love about this script?
“When you boil it down, kids love facts and they love farts. It’s a perfect marriage” he muses.
Finally, we asked how he thought Horrible Histories benefits children’s education of UK history?
“Horrible Histories is not intended to be a History lesson”, says Pip. “There is however a lot to be said about learning through laughter. If people leave our show having discovered something new about our Barmy past and laughed (a lot), then we’ve done our job.”
Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain – Part Four! runs at Apollo Theatre from 1 – 31 August 2019.
Photo by Mark Douet 
BPhoto by Mark Douet 
Photo by Mark Douet 
Photo by Mark Douet 
Photo by Mark Douet 
Photo by Mark Douet 
Ben Martin and Pip Chamberlin in Barmy Britain – Horrible Histories by Birmingham Stage Company. Written and Directed by Neal Foster Designed by Jackie Trousdale Lighting by Jason Taylor Sound by Nick Sagar Music by Matthew Scott Choreography by Kenn Oldfield Production Manager Adrian Littlejohns Photo by Mark Douet
