The cast of How to Win Against History at the Ovalhouse, London. Picture: Rah Petherbridge
How to Win Against History at the Ovalhouse, London.
Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩
Ovalhouse is renowned for its development of new theatre and has supported Seiriol Davies’ How to Win Against History since its inception as a FiRST BiTE in 2014. The show returned as a full production for a short run.
Playing to an enthusiastic capacity audience, the show attracted raucous laughter from the start, although sometimes for the most mundane reasons.
How to Win Against History is loosely based on the story of Henry Cyril Paget, who on the death of his father, became the 5th Marquis of Anglesey and inherited a fortune at the age of 23.
Paget was quite a character – an Edwardian Eton-educated noble who was a cross-dresser, extravagant and extremely self-indulgent. Many assume he was homosexual (although cross-dressers are often not) but there is no evidence to support this – he may well have been asexual. He did marry, his cousin Lilian, because that was what society expected. It was not a successful union and the couple eventually divorced, although Lilian was by his side when he died.
When Henry inherited his title and fortune he decided he wanted to present plays for the local people, so he converted the family chapel in to a theatre. He produced and starred in many shows, which he also toured, sadly playing to poor audiences. It is hardly surprising that when he died at the age of 29, he was bankrupt.
This three-man musical covers various musical styles as it attempts to tell the tale. Occasionally bordering on pantomime, the audience is encouraged to participate and do so with great gusto.
Not only has Seiriol Davies written and composed this piece, he also plays the central role and his performance at times is as self-indulgent as the character. He also unnecessarily camps up the character – it would have been much more effective to have a more ‘butch’, cross-dressing Marquis.
Musical director Dylan Townley also participates in the action but is under used as a performer. The accolades must go to Matthew Blake, who as Alexander Keith, among other roles, works his socks off and is extremely watchable.
This is fast-paced theatre of the absurd. It does need further development both musically and script-wise. It will attract a niche audience, but will not appeal to every palette.
The set design by Verity Quinn and lighting by Dan Saggars are basic, but suit the intimacy of the Ovalhouse studio. How to Win Against History is directed by Alex Swift and produced by Ovalhouse, Seiriol Davies and Aine Flanagan Productions.
Yvonne I’Anson
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