Page 90 - All About History - Issue 29-15

Five minutes with
TERRYDEARY

THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF HORRIBLE HISTORIES
TELLS US WHY HIS BOOKS AND PLAYS BREAK THE
MOULD OF HISTORICAL NONFICTION

What do you think it is about the
Horrible Histories stage shows that
has made them such a success?
It attracts a lot of schools because it’s
educational as well as entertainment. Of
course, the books themselves are a well-
known brand, so people who wouldn’t
normally go to the theatre see it
advertised and think “oh, we can see it in a different
format, without having to read the books.”
What can people expect from the new show
Barmy Britain – Part Three!?
We’re going back to the Stone Age, which is
further than we’ve been back before and we go
right through to World War II. We meet some
quirky characters, like Lord Nelson, and discover
remarkable true stories.
Horrible Histories are not just for children. Can
the same be said of Barmy Britain?
Yep. Parents write to me more often than children
saying they not only enjoyed it but learned
something too. It’s edutainment – you learn as you
enjoy. I’ve always believed if you want to educate
somebody, you’ve got to engage them first. If they’re not
paying attention, they learn nothing at all.

Horrible Histories has changed the way children in
particular think about history. Was this your aim
when you initially set about writing the books?
What I wanted to do was write some entertaining books.
It started as a joke book with some facts, but the facts
were more interesting than the jokes. I don’t suppose
I thought I was creating a new genre, but it seems like
we did. I never think of them as history books, I think
of them as books about people – which is the most
fascinating subject in the world.

Why do you think your books have struck a cord
with children who struggle with history at school?
I’m a children’s author, not a historian. History books
are traditionally written by historians, and they’re not
writers. They know about history, I know about how to
engage a child. I can look at stories that people told at the
time and do all sorts of things that historians can’t do.

Barmy Britain Part Three! is at the Garrick Theatre
in London from 29 July until 5 September.

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