The fabulous story of flamboyant Welsh aristocrat Henry Paget to hit the stage

The 5th Marquis of Anglesey, Henry Paget, blew his family’s colossal fortune on diamond frocks, lilac-dyed poodles and putting on simply amazing plays – to which nobody came – causing a very Edwardian scandal.

His fabulous flame burned brightly, briefly and extremely cross-dressingly until he died at just 29, after which his outraged family destroyed every record of him every having existed.

Now Henry’s back in a revived stage production, with nothing to his name but savage wit, banging belters and a metric tonne of sparkle.

This fierce and tragi-gorgeous comedy musical is a true story about expectations, masculinity, privilege and failure on an epic scale. It’s about feeling desperately weird and alone but knowing that to fit in would cost you everything.

How To Win Against History was the solid gold, diamante-studded hit of Edinburgh Fringe 2016, widely acclaimed by the critics and winner of The Stage Edinburgh Award.

Now Bristol Old Vic and the Olivier Award-winning producers of Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder!, Fleabag and Baby Reindeer are bringing it back, bigger and more sparkly than ever for 2025, marking the 150th anniversary of Paget’s birth.

Bristol Old Vic and Francesca Moody productions are staging the new expanded co-production of the hit Edinburgh Fringe musical which will premiere at Bristol Old Vic from 19 June – 12 July.

The production will then move to Norwich Playhouse from 23-26 Jul and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 30 July – 24 August in a run in association with Underbelly in the Udderbelly at George Square.

This marks the second collaboration between the Olivier-winning producers and the world-renowned Bristol theatre after taking audiences by storm with the upscaled Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder! which opened at Bristol Old Vic in Autumn 2023 ahead of a sell-out West End run in 2024.

Now they join forces once more to tell the cautionary tale of Henry Cyril Paget, one of the world’s wealthiest men, who lost his fortune by being too damn fabulous.

Book, music and lyrics are by Seiriol Davies. The original cast return with Seiriol Davies as Henry Cyril Paget, Matthew Blake and Dylan Townley.

Originally devised by Seiriol Davies, Matthew Blake, Dylan Townley, Áine Flannagan and Alex Swift.

Bristol Old Vic and Francesca Moody Productions present
HOW TO WIN AGAINST HISTORY
book, music & lyrics by Seiriol Davies | with Matthew Blake and Dylan Townley
directed by Lisa Spirling

19 Jun – 12 Jul
Bristol Old Vic
Theatre
PRESS NIGHT: Wed 25 Jun at 7pm
7.30pm/2.30pm (Thu & Sat mat) | From £12 (plus concs) | Age 12+
www.bristololdvic.org.uk/whats-on/how-to-win-against-history

23 – 26 Jul
Norwich Playhouse
Times vary | £20
https://norwichtheatre.org/whats-on/how-to-win-against-history/

30 Jul – 24 Aug
Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025
Underbelly, George Square (Udderbelly)
7.15pm | From £11
Tickets: www. underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/events/event/how-to-win-against-history