I am a secret tudor history geek. The story of Henry VIII and his six wives has fascinated me since primary school. So, when Six was announced as one of Five Star Theatre’s shows for their 2024 programme, I was a) really jealous that I am not 16 anymore and b) thrilled that this show was being brought to Rugby.
Five Star Theatre’s shows are always a visual treat. Six was no exception to this. The concert vibe was established thanks to the huge letters that lit up the stage. Simply set amongst 6 beautiful thrones, it created a fresh, modern tone for this smash hit musical.
Jade Simpson’s choreography was a match made in heaven with the music. Coupled with the extraordinary costumes lovingly put together by Five Star’s amazing costume department, the six queens looked every inch the strong, fierce girl band.
Through Emma Nuttall’s Musical Direction, the vocals and harmonies were tight. Each of the queen’s songs were executed with confidence and conviction. Amelia Liddle’s Catherine of Aragon, was feisty and headstrong. Louisa Roberts’ Anne Boleyn was a stand out performance. Delilah Suckling’ Jane Seymour gave a sweet edge to the show. Ellen Court’s Anna of Cleeves was fabulously smug. Five Star regular Georgie Awang gave a mature well considered performance as Catherine Howard drawing on her vast experience. Isabella Pritchard broke our hearts with her Catherine Parr.
Ciaran Dempsey must be overwhelmingly proud of his young cast. The queens were clearly a very solid team, who supported and looked out for one another. It was nothing but a pleasure to see the product of such incredible hard work from all the cast and creatives at Five Star Theatre.
Hayley Smith, March 2024