The (Almost) Complete History of Britain - Open Air Theatre

About this event

The third of our four open air theatre shows at Clovelly for 2026! The Pantaloons present The (Almost) Complete History of Britain This satirical show hilariously condenses British history, highlighting quirky figures and absurdities in a silly summary of key historical events such as Norman conquests and the Spanish Armada! This performance will take place on the terraces by Clovelly Court Gardens, with the stunning backdrop of Bideford Bay and the Clovelly Estate. Bring a picnic and something to sit on! Who are The Pantaloons? “The Pantaloons draw from a wide variety of popular theatre traditions, from commedia dell’arte and pantomime to stand-up comedy and silent movies, to bring what we consider to be a vital sense of “play” back to classical performance. We aim to recapture an aspect of Shakespeare’s drama which the modern naturalistic theatre has lost: the riotous energy of the clown. Hamlet tells us that the clowns in Shakespeare’s day spoke “more than is set down for them”, and we have found that tapping into this rich vein of anarchic humour can have a strangely moving and uplifting effect. Crucially, it also reminds us that we are all simply participants in a game of make-believe. In our theatre, your imagination is just as important as ours.

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