Six Teen Edition

Thank you AllStage for the invitation to watch ‘Six’ (Teen Edition), a musical re-telling of the six wives of Henry VIII. After receiving the warmest of welcomes from the front of house staff, and a beautiful programme, I was both surprised and impressed with how successfully this society had made a small auditorium available to perform a musical direct from the West End, but they did. The intimacy made it perfect to perform a show like this and there was a real buzz about the audience who were clearly excited. Henry who?! This was definitely a show for all Queens out there, and I was impressed with the use of the visual screen which really complimented the size of the stage and was used throughout the performance. Upon taking my seat the stage and room were lit in royal purple, setting a regal tone for the performing Queens to take their place on stage. The opening number was a spectacle to say the least compete with purposeful and fun, different coloured lights for each of the six principal characters, and the audience were instantly transported to the magical world of theatre.

Catherine of Aragon opens the first solo section of the show which Millie Wright did incredibly well, setting the tone for what was to come from this production and group of young female performers. Her performance was strong both vocally and physically, as it has to be for this role, with her never breaking focus, even when breaking the fourth wall and addressing us. Millie portrayed Catherine of Aragon with maturity and confidence and really commanded the stage successfully with great stage presence.

The role of the second wife which the audience are introduced to is Anne Boleyn, portrayed by Charlotte Curtis. This part requires sarcasm and quick comedy timing, both tools which Charlotte possesses. This was evident with the never-ending repertoire of facial expressions she used which made me smile throughout her performance and leaving me wondering what she was going to do or say to make me laugh each time she took centre stage. I would have liked Charlotte to attack the dance-breaks a little more but the rap at the beginning of her number was very impressive and she managed her breathing well.

Gabriella Petrillo played Jane Seymour with passion, guts, and sincerity. During her vocally demanding solo, which is arguably one of the more difficult numbers to navigate in this musical, she held her own, offering some strong vocals. Whilst I could tell she was initially a little nervous, which ever so slightly affected her vocal placement one time during her number, as the song progressed so did her confidence. She complimented this role, delivering some very high notes beautifully, and proving why Jane Seymour is the emotional heart of the show. I also appreciated the use of white spotlights, programmed by director Hannah Welsby, which added to the drama of Seymour’s ballad.

The fourth wife Anne of Cleves was portrayed by Jessie Cottle who interpreted and delivered the role as cheeky, unapologetic, and filthy rich. She managed her song well when considering the different rhythms in which the song is written and the choreography she was given. Her solo section flowed with pace, and she managed every beat with precision, care, but most importantly attacked the character with fun. I would have liked Jessie to approach her performance with even more confidence, and, due to her age, I believe this will come, tenfold, with time.

Before I mention Henry’s next wife – one of the two who were unfortunately beheaded – I must reinstate this production was performed entirely by teenagers, who have the demanding task of not only remaining on stage throughout the 75-minute performance, but maintaining their character and everything that comes with that. Vocal stamina, focus, and rhythmic timing to name just a few. With that being said, I appreciated the big, choreography (Ruby Firth and Abbie Schofield) number Belle Chadderton was given during the “second half” of the show. Her version of Catherine Howard demanded stage presence through dance and movement, and this was something this performer succeeded in for sure, and throughout the entire show. Her vocals were stronger and louder in the second half of her number, where she managed riffing well, however her song overall was executed with conviction.

Ellie Burns closed the solo sections of the musical as Catherine Parr – a part which needs warm, soulful vocals and a comforting presence. I enjoyed watching Ellie’s performance as she really came into her own during the number this character sings alone. She hit some beautiful notes and delivered a well-controlled vocal overall which was received very well by the audience. Ellie is another performer from this show which I feel grew with confidence as the show progressed. I was especially surprised by the vocal run she performed.

The ensemble girls who made up the Queens’ ladies in waiting were in sync for the most part and always complete with infectious smiles, and their transitions on and off stage were relatively seamless. However, I do feel they could have executed their movement a little more in sync with one another. On the whole, I would have liked the ensemble to be used a little more as they were not on stage as much as I would have anticipated. But I did thrive off watching the enjoyment on their faces each time they came on.

The costumes for the six leads were on-point and relevant to this modern musical. I loved the glitz and the glam (especially Jane Seymour’s tiara which I wanted to take home), and the regal-yet-stylish outfits made the show feel like a concert, as intended. Whilst the sparkly, pop diva-inspired prop microphones were fabulous, on a few occasions performers would forget to “sing” into them - as they had head mics - momentarily taking away from the illusion.

A huge credit to this society is Director Hannah Welsby who was not only responsible for the outstanding direction of this production – and on such a “restricting” stage – but also the majestic, magnificent lighting! The lighting almost stole the show but in all the right ways. It was thought-through, well-balanced, and complimented each scene and character well. Hannah’s staging and direction was pacey, allowing the delivery of character dialogue to hit all the right marks. Firth and Schofield’s choreography complimented the direction and worked collaboratively to compliment the action onstage. These two young choreographers successfully managed to create different moods with their movement set as the Queens took centre in the group numbers as well as the solo sections. The space was used well too.

The harmonies, managed under the Musical Direction of Xander Jaymes, were a real treat for the ears. Many times, I stopped from writing in my notebook to close my eyes and remind myself this was the Teen Edition of Six. The principal characters sang in sync, never missing a beat during the group segments and this vocal control transpired to the work Jaymes had clearly done with the young performers individually when rehearsing their solo parts. The sound was very clear throughout the whole performance, and the balance of music and mics was impressive and crisp.

Overall, the evening was filled with sass, many laughs, and an audience who received this production very well. The six girls worked well together to produce the success of AllStage’s second musical. Furthermore, it is evident every cog in this society’s machine is manned by people who care about each other, as well as the arts, and that is what is at the very heart of local theatre. A huge well done to all involved. You should be very proud of what you achieved, and I look forward to coming to watch again soon.

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