Families in are in for a historical treat as Horrible Histories Live on Stage arrives in town with Terrible Tudors and Awful Egyptians! These two horrible productions will take audiences on a wildly entertaining journey through history, packed with outrageous facts, larger-than-life characters and featuring spectacular eye-popping 3D special effects that will leave the whole family spellbound.

Terrible Tudors and Awful Egyptians are two separate, must-see shows that bring history to life in all its gruesome glory. Families can choose to experience one or double the fun by seeing both.

Horrible Histories has now been delighting theatre audiences for more than 20 years. Did you ever imagine it would become such a long-running success?
The way the audience reacted to the first performance of our very first show told me there was something special about Horrible Histories on stage. I hadn’t experienced anything like it before – and that was at the interval when they hadn’t even seen the 3D effects. I said to my colleagues – if this is how the audience is reacting to the show, just wait until the 3D starts! 

What do you think has made Horrible Histories such an enduring favourite with generations of families? 
Terry Deary’s great idea when he created HH was to concentrate on the gruesome, gory, disgusting and incredible things that human beings have done to each other over ten thousand years. So that’s a lot of incredible stories we have to tell. And because HH makes everything so much fun, you learn a lot while you’re crying with laughter. 

Why do you think history works so well when it’s told through comedy? 
John Cleese once said if you want people to remember something, make them laugh. People only laugh at things they understand, and because they have found it funny, they remember it.

This tour brings together Terrible Tudors and Awful Egyptians. What makes these two shows such a brilliant combination? 
The shows feature two of the most extraordinary men in history – the Tudor king Henry VIII and Egypt’s greatest Pharoah, Ramses the Second. Both men had enormous personalities, so they’re great fun to meet live on stage. Plus you also meet many of the other crazy, cruel and crafty people who lived during the Tudor and Egyptian times, so it’s a real celebration of the periods.

Why do you think the Tudors and the Ancient Egyptians continue to capture children’s imaginations more than almost any other periods in history? 
I think we’re fascinated by the fact that just one family ruled England for over a hundred years. They included cruel kings and queens who were all so different and made such an impact on the country. Ancient Egypt will always be compelling because the desert heat meant so much of what they created has been left for us to marvel at 3000 years later.

How do you strike the balance between being historically accurate while making the shows laugh-out-loud funny? 
Our main aim is to entertain, as we know that’s why people come to see the shows. The fact that we do it through history means we are looking for the most interesting stories through which to entertain our audience. The difficult task is making gruesome and gory stories entertaining and it’s always satisfying when you find the perfect way to present these stories.

After directing Horrible Histories for so many years, has there been a historical fact that’s still surprised or amazed you? 
The fact that still astounds me is the number of British men killed or wounded on the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. We read about 30,000 Russians being killed each month in the war in Ukraine, but over a hundred years ago, 60,000 British soldiers were killed or wounded in just one day.

One of the unique elements you incorporate is Bogglevision. Where did the idea come from, and why has it become such an important part of this live experience? 
It was Terry Deary’s fabulous idea to have a video screen as our backdrop, but when we went to meet the company who were making it, they showed us how it could be used to create 3D effects. I asked Terry stand in front of the screen and interact with the objects that were flying around his head and instantly knew it would be a terrific way of bringing history to life. No-one else in the world brings actors and 3D effects together in the way we do with Horrible Histories.

For anyone who’s never experienced Bogglevision before, what can they expect? 
You can expect to see Spanish cannonballs hurtling towards you and the arms of an Ancient Egyptian mummy reaching out to grab you!

How does Bogglevision help bring the worlds of the Terrible Tudors and Awful Egyptians to life in a way that simply isn’t possible on television or in the classroom? 
It’s one thing to have a beautiful set, but it’s amazing to be able to send things out into the auditorium, which even after twenty-one years still make me duck. It’s particularly fun to see the children leaning forward in their attempt to grab the 3D objects.

The audience almost becomes part of the action thanks to the spectacular 3D effects. How much fun is it seeing children’s reactions when history suddenly comes flying towards them? 
Children make the best audiences because they invest so much of themselves in the action. When a giant beetle comes flying out at them, they scream the roof off. 

If you could persuade one family who’s never experienced Horrible Histories Live on Stage to come along, what would you say to them?
If you like seeing fascinating stories portrayed by great actors, with songs, facts, jokes, fabulous costumes and astounding effects – which you share with the whole family – then these are the shows for you!

For ticket information, click Terrible Tudors or Awful Egyptians.