Highbury Theatre. 30 June 2026
By Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss.
Producer: Louise Holmes. Musical Director: Ian Cheadle. Choreographer: Karen Lyon.
This is a show that was written by two Cambridge University students for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017. It tells the ‘Herstory’ of the 6 wives of Henry VIII, with the wives competing to see who had the most tragic story. SIX is my favourite show ever and I wasn’t sure what to expect tonight as it was not only an amateur group but also the teen edition. I’ve seen the professional version 3 times and this one was EVERY BIT as good as any of the professional performances. There are 12 Queens so I can only speak for the show I saw on the opening night but WOW!
The show really doesn’t have set, and it doesn’t need it, but this one had a large LED screen at the back of the stage with ever-changing, brightly coloured backgrounds. It never detracted from the action but fitted perfectly. Costumes were fabulous and looked as if they were made specifically for the girls wearing them. Lighting and sound were excellent. Choreography was so well done and the cast was obviously very well-rehearsed. The producer did a great job and the whole thing was faultless, filling me with admiration for the creativity shown by the whole production team.
As for the performers themselves, I was wowed by how brilliant they were. They are all amazing singers and dancers. Each seemed really confident, and every performance was polished. They were a really cohesive cast and I loved every one of them.
Jessica Lewis was a great Catherine of Aragon. Her voice was strong and lovely. Maia Johnson blew me away as Anne Boleyn. She was funny and sang beautifully. Erin Freeman was a really beautiful Jane Seymour. Her song ‘Heart of Stone’ brought me to tears. She has one of the most amazing voices I’ve heard in a long time. This was her first performance with Script Youth and I’m looking forward to seeing more of her. Cassie Crawshaw was a real surprise as Anne of Cleves. Her singing voice is gorgeous and she really brought humour to the part. She has a really sassy quality and a very expressive face. She had the whole audience cheering. Niamh Scott-Walters was another great surprise as Catherine Howard. Not only does she have a lovely, strong voice, she also brought masses of cheeky humour to the part. For me, she gave the standout performance of the night. I can’t believe she’s only 15! Maddie Howard gave a beautiful performance as Catherine Parr, bringing sensitivity to the group when she tried to bring the wives together.
They all sang so beautifully, both alone and together. Their harmonies were exquisite. They were all word perfect, their dance moves were spot-on, they exuded confidence and entertained from the first word to the last. I couldn’t have enjoyed myself more.
Groups like this do so much for amateur theatre and I’m very sure we’ll see some of these young people in professional roles in the future. The audience tonight screamed, shouted, cheered, cried, and laughed. We were all on our feet for the ‘five more minutes’ at the end. We sang our hearts out, clapped until our hands were sore, and I thought the applause would never stop.
Well done Script Youth, I’m blown away. Thank you.
Reviewed By – Lesley L.
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