If you learn anything from the 90mins of joy watching How To Win Against History it is all children should be loved.

Henry Cyril Paget who became the 5th Marquess of Anglesey wasn’t loved very much especially in his formative years.

But the sequinned creature who metamorphosed in this camp musical was truly loveable and this story redresses his family’s attempt to erase him/her from the history books.

Although whether God will forgive spendthrift Henry for obliterating the hereditary Welsh chapel to convert into the Gaity theatre and blowing the family fortune who knows?

The musical adaptation of his/her life (and lifestyle) is playing at the Bristol Old Vic until mid-July and if you want an absolutely fabulous night out, we urge you to go and see and enjoy.

This is a story of a butterfly, which began on a country pile, moves to unhappy schooldays as a ‘fag’ warming toilet seats at Eton, soldiered on in the army, then added the mandatory failed marriage to a first cousin and finally went 'on tour' with an ‘interesting’ theatre troupe.

The audience on press night was as diverse as the characters on stage – lots of glitterati and all lovin’ it.

The costumes including headgear were loud, brash and bright but the tweed suit was definitely not for the fashionistas. 

How To Win Against History, which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2016, was written and stars Welsh playwright Seiriol Davies as Henry Cyril Paget.

Sidekick Mattew Blake metamorphoses into all the other parts, behind the grand piano is Dylan Townley as Maestro and the band of Mark Harrison, Rhiannon Harrison, Flick Isaac-Chilton and Harry Miller made movement to music.

To a (wo)man they were all brilliant.

Apart from the piano there are limited props and a static beautifully lit stage which is perfect, and all eyes (and ears) focus on the performers who were marvellously talented actors and singers and deserved the standing ovation at the end.

Described as ‘genderpunk’ it is deliciously ‘get off the fence’ theatre which has moments of Cabaret and mentions Shakespeare’s Henry V, Oscar Wilde and Sherlock Holmes from a colonial age when Britannia ruled the waves.

Loved the action on top of the piano which doubled as transport between gigs, the interaction with the audience, and the Daily Mail journalist dressed in the dirty mackintosh covered in birdshit with bat wings.

Directed by Lisa Spirling this is an anti-establishment production that turns the story of a lost soul into a memorable piece of history.

The show runs until Saturday, July 19, and has a 12+ aged guide.

Online tickets from £13 plus £1 booking fee here

https://bristololdvic.org.uk/whats-on/how-to-win-against-history

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Words: Carol Ann Deacon

Photos: Pamela Reith