It's confirmed...oh yes it is! Where and when you can watch the Horrible Histories Christmas panto in Northampton...and how to book tickets

Last month, The Chronicle & Echo announced the drive-in Horrible Histories themed panto was coming to Northampton this Christmas.

Today, Thursday, producers have revealed that the show will be at Franklin’s Gardens car park on December 14 at 4.30pm and 7pm.

The Horrible Histories themed drive-in panto, called ‘Horrible Christmas’, is the story of how Christmas came to be what it is today. The show will enable families to channel their festive spirits in a safe, socially-distanced manner from the comfort of their own cars.

Neal Foster, Horrible Histories actor and manager at the Birmingham Stage Company, told the Chronicle & Echo: "We can't wait to be back on stage in cities and towns that will be crying out for a Christmas show to entertain their families.

“As you’d expect from Horrible Histories, it’s not a traditional pantomime, but a journey through the story of Christmas in the company of the season’s most fabulous characters.

"It’s the perfect story for families this winter, as one young boy battles to save Christmas for the world, in this hilarious, joyous and moving celebration.”

There will be two shows taking place in Northampton on December 14. There are limited tickets for each show, priced at £45 per car with an additional booking fee of £2.50

In partnership with the Birmingham Stage Company, the actors have already visited the town this summer for the Car Park Party, which was a national tour of comedy, theatre and live music shows. After selling out shows and receiving rave reviews from the public and the press, they decided to make a comeback with the Car Park Panto.

When asked about the successes of Car Park Party, Neal Foster said: “They just really really work. We have the huge screens, the sound piped into cars really clearly, kids can chat away in the car without disturbing anyone and people can munch on their snacks.”

The show will explore Victorian villains, Medieval monks, Puritan parties and Tudor treats. Huge historical figures will join forces to save the festive season, including Charles Dickens, King Henry VIII, St Nicholas and - ironically - Oliver Cromwell.

Mr Foster spoke about some of the difficulties the cast have had to overcome to rehearse and carry out these shows, given the current circumstances.

He said: “I think it’s the fact that theaters are facing Armageddon at the moment with venues only being able to get 25% of their audiences safely inside with social distancing measures.

“We are staying in a big house together, not seeing anyone, not being able to go to the shops and that is a huge challenge. The cast are all getting together to do this at the beginning of December for the Christmas shows. It will be like Big Brother!”

Mr Foster revealed that the team of eight actors will not be going home to be with their families on Christmas day to keep each other and audiences safe.

“Hopefully, this will be the only time we will have to do this,” he said, “and we are lucky to be working at all given everything that is happening right now. That is just the nature of the event. We all love history and, looking at what people went through in this country, it really isn’t the worst thing to happen.”

Mr Foster added: “We are rescuing Christmas from covid! We are hoping to give the audience something to celebrate. It will definitely be a one off and an enjoyable experience.”

The December panto will be touring to eight additional venues in Chelmsford, Newark, Coventry, Exeter, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Newbury and Liverpool.