Six - Teen Edition

The teen edition of ‘Six’ is an adaptation of Tony Marlow and Lucy Moss’ international phenomenon modified for performance by teen actors for family audiences! Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. From Tudor queens to pop icons, the six wives of Henry VIII take the mic to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into an exuberant celebration of 21st-century girl power! Nothing was left out of Theatre Factory’s excellent production co-directed by Charlotte Gillson and Leanne Cook  and some superb choreography by Charlotte and Paul Hutton.

A clear stage other than some central steps and a projection screen on which some powerful vocals were complimented throughout by a variety of graphics, the tempo was set from the first note when each of the wives were introduced dramatically, with their backs to the audience.

Other than the opening number of Act 2 when the ‘Ladies in Waiting’ (Other talented members of Theatre Factory all dressed in black plus tops with printed silver crowns) joined in, the entire show was led by the six wives, each telling their own story.  Such is the level of talent in this company that there were two teams of 6 wives and I have no doubt ‘the other team’ was as well balanced. For the final performance I attended, the wives were Kyesha Khan (Catherine of Aragon), Frankie Cook Stephens (Anne Boleyn), Flo Sinfield (Jayne Seymour), Demi Delord (Anne of Cleeves), Libby Faulkner (Katherine Howard) and Liv Dyde (Catherine Parr).

Without exception, each individual’s vocals were strong and I enjoyed every performance. Its splitting hairs but perhaps the greatest impact for me was made with the change in tempo by Flo with ‘Heart of Stone’, when as Jane Seymour she stood by the King and had a son that she never witnessed growing up. Equally and perhaps with the clearest of vocals of all, was Liv as Catherine Parr with ‘I Don’t Need Your Love’, who was destined to marry another but as history tells us, was the only one to survive. But each wife had great stage presence and clearly enjoyed and delivered the slick choreography with energy. Costumes were superb, individual and looked great.

Of course, its not possible to put on such a performance without some great team work off stage, which was suitably acknowledged after the performance and deservedly so by a packed and appreciative audience. Congratulations to all involved.

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