This energetic touring production is but one branch of the multi-media ‘edutainment’ franchise that began with the amusingly irreverent and educational Horrible Histories book series by Terry Deary and illustrator Martin Brown (over 60 titles since 1993). Using cheeky cartoons and painful dad-jokes to present many examples of mostly European history, ranging from thousands of years ago right up to World War II, the books often confirm unbelievable rumours and/or expose common misconceptions in the process.

The more recent TV series in turn utilises satirical sketches, parodic songs and of course more dad-jokes to disclose all manner of comedy-soaked facts. Naturally they are also the stock-in-trade of the Birmingham Stage Company’s various live shows, and this – The Best of Barmy Britain, co-written by Deary and director Neal Foster – is, as far as I’m aware, the first to include our humble post-colonial nation in the schedule. 

As the title suggests, it focuses squarely on stories from the beloved motherland, from a handful of key periods between Boudica and Dick Turpin, with a generous helping of that most infamous of Tudors, Henry VIII. Talented performers Pip Chamberlain (the bearded one) and Robin Hemmings (not) form a quick rapport with the large family crowd with their anthematic refrain ‘Barmy Britain Breaks the Rules’, sung to a boisterous 3|4 version of the tune for ‘Comin’ Round the Mountain’. 

The general rule is to have Pip expound the commonly held views of the historic points in question while Hemmings is the one to burst his bubble and tell it like it allegedly really did go down. To edify and entertain us the duo then play out absurd, often Pythonesque scenes that cleverly highlight the more interesting aspects of the given subject. For instance, a humorously soft-spoken Guy Fawkes appears in a lampoon of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? called Who Wants to Blow Up Parliament?, in which a few lesser-known details of his infamous failed escapade are brought to light. 

Elsewhere puppetry is employed to tremendous effect, notably in the case of King John’s signing of the Magna Carta. Among the numerous examples of anachronistic gags, like playing olden-day characters as modern-day chavs (King John again), or Victoria and Albert’s imperious hip-hop rhymes, are a number of up-to-the-minute direct references both global (hashtags; Taylor Swift) and, to our antipodean delight, local (Hamilton; Team Ardern).

While we only get to see two busy actors doing the work of five or six, there is of course a complete production crew supporting their intrepid shenanigans. Notably Jacqueline Trousdale’s comprehensive set and costume design, which includes laden coat racks placed in crows-nest type baskets, like ships’ masts complete with Union Jack ensigns. And of course, the importance of Nicky Sagar’s sound design and especially the accomplished and eclectic music of Matthew Scott cannot be understated.

Being only an hour and a quarter, they barely even scratch the barmy surface of all the barminess the barmy Britons ever brought about. Only three monarchs are viewed in any detail, not to mention the virtually limitless array of significant personages and events. To address this I note the programme advertises an upcoming UK tour of More Best of Barmy Britain, so that’s good.

Altogether the Horrible Histories brand is an accessible and highly entertaining inroad to any and all areas of world history. Like Asterix comics and QI, they prove the effectiveness of employing determinedly silly humour to engender our impressionable youths’ personal interest in matters of actual history, keeping in mind it’s probably a good idea to cross-reference everything.

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