Birmingham Stage Company brings two new Horrible Histories adaptations to the New Wimbledon theatre this spring.
Frightful First World War and Woeful Second World War are the latest stories from the pen of Terry Deary, whose Horrible Histories books are bestsellers. BSC has already successfully adapted previous stories Terrible Tudors, Vile Victorians, Ruthless Romans and Awful Egyptians.
Like those, the two new shows feature special 3D Bogglevision effects to give young theatregoers a vivid impression of what warfare in the first and second world wars was really like.
Frightful First World War, suitable for ages 11 and over, centres on 13-year-old Angelica Taylor who gets sucked into the Horrible Histories website and travels through five years of World War One. 3D scenes in the show include the sinking of the Lusitania, trench rats jumping into the auditorium and tanks rumbling into the stalls.
Aimed at theatregoers aged six and over, Woeful Second World War tells the story of Alf and Sally, who are evacuated to darkest Wales, away from the damp shelters and nightly bombings of their home city, only to encounter rations and scary new parents. The second half of the show, viewed in 3D, depicts German bombers making their deadly journey towards Coventry.
Frightful First World War and Woeful Second World War play at the New Wimbledon theatre from 17 to 21 March as part of a UK tour.
The shows will also play at other London theatres later in the year, visiting Richmond theatre from 22 to 27 June and the Bloomsbury theatre from 5 to 17 October.
CB