Horrible Histories - Groovy Greeks and Incredible Invaders (255 words)

Sunderland Empire Theatre

TERRY Deary has earned himself a place in history with his best-selling children’s books first published in 1993.

Now in its sixth season the Horrible History TV shows have won BAFTAs and much prized Comedy Award. Not bad for a young man from Sunderland who started his working life in his father’s butcher’s shop, which he claims was much better than school where he was beaten and bullied.

The Birmingham Stage adaptation zooms back in time invading the stage with groovy Greeks, rampaging Romans and we see the first ever Olympic Games and the very first play.

Deary certainly understands what captures an eight-year old’s imagination with references to poo, farting, eating snot and what the Roman’s wiped their bottoms with, which incidentally was a sponge on a stick dipped in salt water.

The style owes a little to Monty Python and a lot to the slapstick years of silly stuff with a few popular songs chucked in. The inclusion of a Big Brother challenge and Marge Simpson’s big hair could do with a bit of updating and there are a few dodgy accents around, but all the interesting folk from history are there, warts and all.

The second half includes the use of 3D technology, humorously described as bogglevision.

All four actors show off their Incredible adaptability - Elliot Fitzpatrick, Tom Moores, Evelyn Adams and Holly Morgan and listen out for Terry Deary making history as Zeus, albeit a pre-recorded voice, but for the Sunderland audience someone to be very proud of.

Helen Brown