Horrible Histories has been gleefully grossing out and smartening up children for well over a decade, and its latest tour, HORRIBLE HISTORIES – THE CONCERT, proved just how strong that bond remains when it arrived at Wales Millennium Centre for two performances today. From the moment the doors opened at the Donald Gordon Theatre, it was clear this was not just another family show filling an afternoon slot. It was an event, and a noisy one at that.
The audience skewed young, as you might expect, with excited children proudly wearing Horrible Histories T shirts and parents clearly braced for a barrage of facts, jokes and songs they half know by heart. The TV series has built a fiercely loyal fanbase, and that affection carries easily into the live arena. This is not the franchise’s first trip onto the stage, and previous Horrible Histories shows have long been a reliable hit with audiences. What makes this tour feel special is the way it pulls together different strands of the brand for the very first time.
We were at the first performance today and in our seats nice and early to soak up the atmosphere. By the time the show began the auditorium was packed with a very excited audience – HERE.
Horrible Histories Live (and Dead!) on Stage now features both the much loved songs from the television series and stars of the CBBC show itself. That combination is surprisingly powerful. For young fans, seeing familiar faces step out of the screen and straight into the theatre brings an extra jolt of excitement. For parents, there is a sense that the show respects its audience enough not to water anything down.
The concert format gives the music room to shine. The songs, already catchy at home, land even harder live, helped by tight performances and a band that keeps things punchy without overpowering the vocals. From smug monarchs to unlucky peasants, the characters parade across history with the same cheeky confidence that made the TV show a success. The humour is broad but smart, packed with knowing winks for adults while never losing sight of its younger fans.
What really lifts the show is the relationship between the cast and the audience. This is not a polite, sit back and clap affair. The crowd was encouraged to sing, shout and groan along, and they needed very little encouragement. The roof was well and truly raised as the theatre filled with laughter, spontaneous singalongs and the particular roar that only a delighted child can produce. Jokes were tossed out and instantly rewarded, sometimes improved by the audience’s response, giving the performance a loose, human feel that kept it from becoming too polished.
There is also something quietly impressive about how much history is smuggled into the chaos. Facts are flung about at speed, wrapped in jokes and melodies, but they stick. You could sense children leaving the theatre not just buzzing, but also armed with fresh snippets of knowledge to deploy at school tomorrow.
By the final number, the Donald Gordon Theatre was on its feet in spirit if not quite physically, with the cast grinning as they soaked up the reaction. Horrible Histories: The Concert does exactly what it sets out to do. It celebrates the music, the characters and the shared joy of learning the nasty bits of history together. It feels less like a spin off and more like a party thrown for the fans.
If you have ever watched Horrible Histories at home with a child and found yourself laughing along, this show confirms that the magic works just as well live, perhaps even better when history is this loud.
HORRIBLE HISTORIES – THE CONCERT is proof that history is much louder, funnier, and better when it’s horribly live. If this is how history had been taught at school, nobody would have skipped class.
The show has one more performance at Wales Millennium Centre at 5pm today. There are a few tickets remaining if you quick, and by a few, we mean six at the moment of writing. Details HERE.
