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Review: How To Win Against History (Bristol Old Vic)

Review by Seth Wilby

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

“History is decided by the winners,” to quote a line from the show itself. But how exactly do you win against history? How far should you go to preserve historical perceptions? That’s what this show seeks to address, dealing with legacy and identity. Think Hamilton but with far, far more sequins. But would this madcap look at one of history’s casualties end up being all style and no substance?


 

First performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2016, How To Win Against History returns in a brand new production for 2025, offering an eccentric look at the life of Henry Cyril Paget, 5th Marquis of Anglesey. Upon inheriting his family wealth in 1898, Henry became one of the richest people in the country. He then turned the family chapel into a theatre and blew his entire fortune on staging extravagant plays (starring himself in flamboyant dresses), which nobody went to. His family were furious at this, burning every trace of him and wiping him from history. It’s a story so preposterous that it feels incredibly appropriate to turn into this ludicrously enjoyable comedy musical celebrating queerness and visibility.

 

Written and devised by Seiriol Davies, How To Win Against History is ninety-minutes full of fabulous, unadulterated joy, taking us through Henry’s life, from his upbringing at Eton (where he was taught the importance of tweed in being normal) to the touring of his theatre company (to gradually depleting applause) and his death in Monte Carlo. It’s camp, it’s unique, and it’s unbelievably fun. In many ways, it feels almost like a child has been given too much sugar, and somehow managed to write a really great play from the hyperactivity. And I mean that in the best possible way. It’s almost difficult just to convey how much fun you can have from the ridiculousness, but the whole audience were beaming from start to finish.


 

Davies’ writing has a natural charm to it, with the audience instantly willing to engage (and interact) with everything the play throws our way. Although not always eliciting riotous laughter, it is certainly consistent in its intimacy, absurdity, and ecstasy, managing to be naturally funny yet inoffensive. Lisa Spirling’s direction keeps the enthusiasm at a permanent high, feeling fully polished yet still able to lean into the joy-fuelled romp. One perfectly-placed, stand out moment involved cue cards ordering audience applause, and wonderfully demonstrates the willingness of the audience to totally succumb to the rambunctiousness. No one can deny that this play is such a fun night out.

 

Davies manages to create more than just that though, with an unexpected poignancy running beneath the whole play. Henry’s story is, naturally, quite a sad one – not only did his family erase him from history, he was never viewed as ‘normal’ in life, and seemingly never fully able to be who he truly was. This feels like something particularly resonant with a 21st century audience. There is an awareness of this beneath the preposterous, yet Davies clearly knows that this is a comedy first. They’ve written the kind of sorrow which induces choruses of ‘awwwwwws’ from the audience. In no way does this take away from the joy of the piece, but it means the story feels fully fleshed out. I’m sure that some people could want the more tragic aspects to be explored deeper, but I feel they’ve been written perfectly as implications, since any tonal shift could be jarring, taking away from the main purpose of the piece.

 


Davies also leads the show, as Paget himself, and they give a glorious performance. Donning increasingly extravagant dresses (designed by Ryan Dawson Light), Davies’ performance is one of pure, over-the-top energy. Davies’ Henry is characterised to a tee as an entitled, self-absorbed, and slightly narcissistic aristocrat, yet you can’t help but enjoy watching them. There’s also this hilarious dopiness to Henry, which is probably his funniest and most endearing quality, with Davies’ blank stare making this all the more amusing. Added to this, though, is the acknowledgement that Henry was not a good person – beyond his clear arrogance, the play also discusses his poor treatment of his wife, for example. This manages to critically balance on the correct line, where the audience do not agree with Henry in any way, but do have some sense of understanding of his situation. This is due to Davies’ characterisation, which is fully-fleshed out and fabulous. They ooze pride and enthusiasm, and glitter as brightly as Henry’s diamonds.

 

It feels wrong to have written so much about a musical without even mentioning the songs, but they simply echo the sentiment above. Never taking it too seriously, Davies has written songs which are as catchy as they are clever, echoing the energy and wit seen throughout the show. It’s wonderful to see a musical be unashamedly musical, and to let the music carry the whole runtime without over reliance on lengthy scenes or distracting dance numbers. The early number ‘Mainstream Entertainment’ is the perfect set up for the pop-infused vibe of the rest of the show, with an incredibly catchy chorus and some genius lyrics such as ‘so just relax it's basically Bridgerton’. The music is performed with an unwavering enthusiasm by the on-stage band (made up of Mark Harrison, Rhiannon Harrison, Flick Isaac-Chilton, and Harry Miller) who all seamlessly switch between singing, moving, and playing their multiple instruments to create the varied and layered orchestrations of the piece, which remain full and booming throughout. They are helmed by Dylan Townley’s ‘Maestro,’ who has the kind of delivery only comparable to your favourite deadpan stand up.



The cast is completed by Matthew Blake as Mr Alexander Keith, the West End actor who (as Henry makes clear) is playing the supporting roles in his play. Blake develops a great rapport with the audience, and offers the complete spectrum of insanity through his numerous roles. His performance as ‘the Daily Mail’ is something that everyone needs to experience, and probably achieves the largest response of the night. This may be Henry’s show, but this company feels like a tight ensemble (Blake, Davies and Townley have all been with the show since its conception) and that really helps to create an unashamedly fun atmosphere for a full hour and a half.

 

The production is only made more fabulous by the creative contributions of its designers. Ryan Dawson Laight’s costumes are something to behold, flamboyant in their scale, encrusted in sequins and dazzling under the stage lights. Henry’s outfits in particular are truly fantastic, adorned in splendour from the headpieces to the shoes. A quick look at some actual photos of Henry shows that Laight’s costumes are not only a visual feast, but also have some genuine parallels to the truth. Hayley Grindle’s scenic design is incredibly grandiose, and the perfect setting for such an extravagant tale. Bringing layers and a breathtaking scale to the stage, Grindle’s design sees a grand piano stands in the front corner, and platforms in the centre which resemble a tiered cake. There’s a clear veneer of wealth and theatricality to the design, which lends itself perfectly to this production


 

There are some nights at the theatre which leave you smiling from ear to ear. This is one of those nights. It may not be an intricate piece of art, but it serves its purpose as a comedy musical impeccably, and sometimes that escapism is exactly what we need. No one can deny that How To Win Against History is a fabulously flamboyant celebration of queerness and joy, and it certainly seems like a show that Henry Cyril Paget would approve of.

 

How To Win Against History plays at the Bristol Old Vic until July 12th

 

 

Photos by Pamela Raith

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