Tudor history was given a girl power update when Brighton pupils put on one of the first performances of the teen version of the hit West End and Broadway show Six The Musical.
The show at Roedean School sees each of Henry XIII’s wives retelling their story but with a decidedly Spice Girls take on things – with the girls belting out wittily-worded pop ballads and raps that provide an altogether more feminist take on what Horrible Henry did to them.
The show’s conceit is that each queen must put her case forward as to why she was the most hard done by the king – and in doing so they reclaim their stories from the historically male perspective, becoming humans with lived experiences instead of just subjects of the well-known mnemonic Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived.
As the six amusingly state their cases via some beautifully acted and performed songs, they begin to realize the futility of the competition and band together to present a united front against the patriarchy.
The musical itself is a sight and sound spectacular, and whether you wanted a history lesson or simply to rock out for the night, it serves everyone. Conceived by two Cambridge University students just before the pandemic, such has been the show’s viral success that it is now the hottest ticket in town. The teen version, which Roedean is one of the first UK schools to perform, plays down some of the racier aspects of the show but is none the poorer for it.
All six girls who played the queens – Gracie Gobat, Biba Sahi, Eni Issac, Ella Wong, Mitti Utrawanit and Cherrie Man – put on breathtaking performances and were word perfect – no mean feat given the complex lyrics and fast-paced routines they sustained throughout.
The show’s director Roedean drama teacher Vanessa Clarke said: “This was an amazing opportunity to be one of the first schools to perform the teen version of Six. Our cast, and band ‘The Ladies In Waiting’, created such a fun and dynamic show and I feel really lucky to be working with such talented and powerful pupils in the production.”
Categories: Roedean School School News
