2 min readFind out what Ian from the Visit Bristol team thought of How To Win Against History, which is on at Bristol Old Vic until 12 July 2025.
Image - How to Win at History Full Company
How To Win Against History is camp, outrageous, moving, and wonderful in the best of ways. You're whisked along the story of Henry Cyril Paget, the 5th Marquess of Anglesey, as he struggled with restrictive Edwardian norms and expectations; attempted to get people to love him for who he was, cross-dressing and all; and ultimately ruined his family fortune and spectacularly torched his reputation and died at the age of 29. Such was the shame that his family all but struck him from historical records. "Out, out, brief candle!" as Shakespeare would say, but what a candle it was. It's witty, it's poignant, and it's unabashedly itself, much like he was.
Find out more about How To Win Against History at Bristol Old Vic here.
Image - Seiriol Davies as Henry Cyril Paget
The musical, which was the winner of The Stage Edinburgh Award 2016 and the Broadway Baby the Bobby 2016, is a feast for both the eyes and the ears. The outfits and set are lavish and beautiful, and the songs and performances will have you glued to the stage and leave you wanting more.
Image - Dylan Townley, Seiriol Davies
This sparkling experience is not to be missed, and it is a message of defiance, audacity, and boldly being yourself. The performance received a fantastic and well-deserved standing ovation, and I imagine and can only hope that will continue for the rest of its run.
