Stunning ‘Six’ lights up the Longridge stage

REVIEW By David Ferguson

GIRL Power was front and centre at Longridge Towers School this week when staff and pupils took the wraps off their version of the West End and Broadway musical ‘Six’.

Staged over two nights in the School’s Chapel, the performances of the cast and crew, with staff members among the orchestra and backroom team, lifted this show above what might be expected from a school musical. The stage show’s ‘Teen Edition’ provide a wonderful choice for the Longridge students who embraced the drama, comedy, pathos and soaring musical challenges and left an audience of more than 200 over the two nights on their feet in raptures.

The ‘Six’ lead actors were obviously the centre of attraction, as they told the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII in the form of modern-day pop icons. The story revolves around the wives competing with each other to decide who had it worse as the King’s wife, re-telling their history with the punchy line ‘divorced, beheaded, died … divorced, beheaded, survived’.

The casting of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr was the first bit of quality that suggested something special in the air, but the way in which each of the actors took to their different roles and lit up the stage, both in their acting and singing, was what elevated this performance to a stunning level.

And, ultimately, it served the purpose of elevating the memory of six women who history has regularly termed merely ‘Henry VIII’s wives’. The way in which the Longridge pupils came together to produce the show’s finale, sharing their realisation that it was time that they were spoken of as women in their own right, created an energy in the small theatre that was entrancing.

The ‘Six’ stars step up and own the stage

Minnie Cooper brought a strength of character and voice to Catherine of Aragon; Esme Mitchell was a perfectly portrayed sassy little minx; Mimi Whitehead commanded the stage with presence and voice as Jane Seymour; Pandra Bell is a stage natural and wowed in vibrant red as Anna of Cleves – and what a German accent; Isabella Smith, similarly, shone with her pink outfit and great hair to the point you could picture her in the Spice Girls; and Sophie Scott brought it altogether with a performance that mixed softness and steel as Catherine Parr. Special word also for Sophie’s work on choreography which was another feature of the show that transcended what one expects from a school performance, both in design and execution… for want of a better word.

The leads were superbly supported by a vibrant cast of ladies-in-waiting. Each of Jessica Ainsworth, Alice Boulton, Flora Davidson, Amelia Davidson, Poppy Harvey, Hattie Houston, Frankie Jones, Delilah Lockie, Aida Mundy, Wren Pearson, Maisie Wilson and Megan Whitehead showed tremendous singing and dancing skills, but, as with the ‘Six’, they brought their own style to their characters which meant the eye was taken and the show was watchable all over the stage.

There has to be a mention, of course, for Henry VIII, whose inflatable suit certainly ensured he was noticeable but more of a comedic aside to the stars of the show. Stephen London played his part well, not seeking to overplay or take centre stage – a skill in itself – and instead allowing his fleeting appearances to enhance the focus on the main characters.

Wealth of musical talent

Longridge are fortunate to have a wealth of musical talent brought together by experienced musical director Dr Mike Hardy, and each one of the band ensured a tight, slick performance of what is an intricate and varied score. Special mention in that regard has to go to Ebba Martin, a Longridge student who was on drums and whose ability to maintain complex beats throughout was crucial both to the cast and show hitting the mark.

With deserved mentions for the hair and make-up work of Ailie Scambler and her team, and the lights and special effects from Arran Brown, which both brought a real feel of the West End to Longridge, final praise is reserved the show’s Director, Mrs Kelly Hutton, Longridge’s drama teacher.

She said afterwards: “It’s been unbelievable, stunning, amazing, and what we saw out there was more than I could have imagined to be honest. Obviously, we work through a process that started back in October, and it’s a privilege for me to watch them develop and progress, to see them enjoy it and really live it. That’s the nicest thing for me.”

One cannot underplay how difficult it can be to play a character and also let one’s own character come out in a way that adds depth to a performance, and brings a show to life, but this Longridge cast pulled it off in punchy, West End style that stayed wonderfully faithful to the original musical. Much of that comes down to the environment created by the directors, teachers and others who supported that allowed these young performers to flourish.

Cast: Anna of Cleves – Pandra Bell; Catherine of Aragon – Minnie Cooper; Anne Boleyn – Esme Mitchell; Catherine Parr – Sophia Scott; Katherine Howard – Isabella Smith; Jane Seymour – Mimi Whitehead; Henry VIII – Stephen London; Ladies-in-waiting – Jessica Ainsworth, Alice Boulton, Flora Davidson, Amelia Davidson, Poppy Harvey, Hattie Houston, Frankie Jones, Delilah Lockie, Aida Mundy, Wren Pearson, Maisie Wilson and Megan Whitehead.

Crew: Hair and make-up – Ailie Scambler; Lights and SFX – Arran Brown.

Band: Guitar – Mr A Sanderson; Bass – Mr X Easton; Drums – Ebba Martin; Trumpet – Mr J Brown; Trombone – Mr G Hughes; Reeds – Mrs N Prentice; Clarinet/Triangle – Mrs H Humphreys; Keyboard – Mr P Dodd; Musical Director/keys – Dr M Hardy.

Director: Mrs K Hutton.