2 July 2026
By Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss.
Director: K Stafford. Choreographer: Jess Bond. Choreographer for ‘Get Down’: Leila Smith
SIX was written by two Cambridge University students for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017. It’s a pop musical, telling the ‘Herstory’ of the 6 wives of Henry VIII. The wives compete to see who had the most tragic story. The show is a fast-paced, energetic 80ish minutes of song and dance. It’s my very favourite show and I was so excited to be invited to see this teen edition.
There was no set apart from SIX spelt out in huge neon letters on wheeled blocks. I thought this was very effective, especially when the Queens used the blocks as seats.
This cast and crew is multi-talented; Martina Green not only played Catherine of Aragon to perfection, she also redesigned the costumes, making them perfectly appropriate for a school group. Jess Bond, who made a beautiful Anne Boleyn, choreographed the show. Lighting and sound were both so well done. Sound cues were spot-on and lighting was used to great effect.
I have to add a note here that one of the cast was sent home from school sick on the day of the show. It was touch-and-go as to whether the performance would go ahead but, in true ‘the show must go on’ style, she had a few hours sleep and went on stage. I’m blown away by her bravery and professionalism. This is a very high energy show, and I can’t imagine what it must have cost her, but she was fabulous. What a trouper!
The whole production team did a fabulous job, and I loved the introductory voiceover by ‘Henry VIII’. This was a lovely and really unusual touch.
As for the performers themselves, they were brilliant. They are all such good singers and dancers. It was hard to remember that they’re all still school students. They brought real maturity and professionalism. Every performance was polished and it was easy to see they were well rehearsed.
Martina Green was great as Aragon. She has a beautiful voice. At one point, I thought the music was slightly loud for her voice, but this soon resolved and she gave a wonderful performance.
Jess Bond gave a really lovely, perfectly sassy performance as Boleyn. She is a very strong singer, and her performance was full of energy.
Mahira Rehman gave me chills as Seymour. She has a gorgeous quality to her voice, and she really did justice to the beautiful, heart-rending ‘Heart of Stone’.
I loved ‘House of Holbein’. They all danced with large glowsticks. Their energy was infectious.
Claire Delaney made a great Anne of Cleves. Her voice is excellent and she gave a wonderful performance, full of energy and humour.
Anna Tisdale was a beautiful Howard. She brought out the different levels of her character beautifully, with real pathos at times. Her voice is beautiful, especially when she was hitting the high notes.
Tilly McGee was fabulous in the role of Parr. She has an exquisite voice and is very expressive. She brought a beautiful sensitivity to the role, and those high notes? Wow!
They made a wonderful team. Their harmonies were beautiful. They were clearly well-rehearsed, and all appeared confident. It was pure, joyful entertainment from beginning to end.
To put on a show like this in a school, with students in all the roles, and undertaking costumes and choreography, as well as learning their own roles, is a massive undertaking and I couldn’t be more impressed.
I’m filled with admiration for these young people and their teachers. I clapped until my hands were sore and shouted till I was hoarse.
Well done and thank you so much Solihull.
Reviewed by – Lesley L.
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