HORRIBLE Histories: The Best of Barmy Britain is the latest fun and fact-filled production from the brilliant Birmingham Stage Company - direct from the West End.

And there's no better way to spend an hour and a bit of your time.

This is the country's colourful, character-full past on frenetic fast-forward - delivered by a company of two-some Ashley Bowden and Laura Dalgleish.

They both know the meaning of the word 'entertainment' and have a cracking way with kids and adults alike.

Director Neal Foster praised his team in a Globe interview recently and I can see why.

The latest two-hander offers many illuminating facts (nothing fake here) from this great daft and eccentric nation of ours.

The formula has worked for thousands of audiences of all ages across the globe.

And here on a week's visit they bounce on stage with a rousing: "HELLO NEW BRIGHTON".

The audience responded in typically enthusiastic fashion - me included and I'm near bus pass age.

This multi-tasking and talented pair play many roles - and they even do all their own costume changes there on stage with a couple of huge clothes and hat horses.

A trunk acts as an adaptable stage for some nice puppetry - notably King John during his Magna Carta period.

It's more than a tour-de-force.

It's a whirl wind of activity.

Guest 'stars' include a 'who's who' from history book shelves.

Dick Turpin and Queen Victoria and Burke and Hare - the Edinburgh body snatchers are given centre stage.

Horrible Histories excels when it comes to visual gags and catchy sing-a-long songs - they know how to rap and roll

There's a smashing Henry V111 routine with a re-mix of his greatest hit - Greensleeves.

One junior member of the audience came on to help with a song about bizarree cures during The Black Death.

Pure inspired - barmery.

There's plenty of flatulence references and blood and gut spilling.

History itself supplies the scripts, carefully-illustrated by these likeable storytellers.

A game show featuring Guy Fawkes is both clever and funny and taught me a few things I didn't know.

Horrible Histories is now part of this country's fabric with its books, TV series and stage shows.

Long, like Victoria, may they rein.

That is the best compliment I can give this wonderful, crazy and creative company.

While bringing history alive they do also like to be topical with some comments about Brexit and the NHS.

And there's a nice dig at the mental state of  America.

Come back soon HH - we need your unique style of entertaining education more than ever.

Hysterical History

5 Stars *****

Horrible Histories: The Best of Barmy Britain is at the Floral Pavilion until Saturday, April 8, with morning and evening performances.

Tickets are from the box office on 0151 666 0000.