Horrible Histories: Darlington Civic Theatre

SUNDERLAND’S own Terry Deary is a playwright, TV scriptwriter and holds a Doctorate in Education at Sunderland University; he’s also written the award-winning children’s series of Horrible Histories. The series has featured on children’s television and won Bafta awards, and this year the theatre productions, which have toured world-wide with the Birmingham Stage Company, will see their tenth anniversary.

My seven-year-old granddaughter taught her mother the Horrible Histories song which lists the kings of England, and she told me the story of Boudicca too: to a child these are entertaining tales illustrated with rowdy characters and slightly rude songs, but the historical facts are there.

This week it’s Groovy Greeks and Incredible Invaders, the latter featuring Romans, Saxons and Vikings as seen through the eyes of a young British girl named Mavis, energetically performed by Hannah Boyce. The invading hordes are played by the three other cast members and some very imaginative 3D images (“Bogglevision”). You collect your 3D glasses in the interval from Civic front of house staff poised to ensure everyone has a pair, but you are asked to return them on your way out.

There are two more evening performances this week from 7pm to 8.45pm, still too late for the average school child, but morning and afternoon performances are available including Sunday, check the website for details. It’s a lot of fun, and the kids in the audience are happy to cheer for the Brits and scream at the 3D effects, and can probably remember that King Caractacus became a Roman citizen.

* Runs until Sunday. Box Office: 01325-486555 or darlingtoncivic.co.uk

Sue Heath