Rosebery school Epsom puts Henry 8’s six on stage
An Epsom school brought Broadway and the West End to Surrey last week with a successful run of the musical ‘Six: Teen Edition’.
The play, which is adapted from the international hit musical SIX by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, tells the story of the six wives of Henry VIII from their own perspective.
Pupils from Rosebery School, part of GLF Schools, performed at the Leatherhead Theatre from Wednesday 28 January to Friday 30 January 2026, this school-friendly 75-minute version brought history to life as a modern pop concert, filled with humour and bold storytelling.
The high-energy show saw the six Queens reclaim their narratives on stage, each sharing her unique perspective through dazzling numbers and dynamic choreography.
The production celebrated resilience, individuality, and sisterhood with tremendous attitude and empowerment, earning enthusiastic applause from audiences across the run.
This ambitious endeavour united more than 140 students from Rosebery School in roles spanning performance, music, technical production, costume design, and leadership.
Rehearsals began in early October, and the students demonstrated exceptional commitment, collaboration, and teamwork throughout the production.
The production featured a fully student-run backstage team handling stage management, wardrobe, makeup, and technical operations, as well as a talented student choreographer who shaped the Queens’ movement with creativity and confidence.
The Senior Prefect Team also took part, spearheading a fundraising campaign to support performing arts at Rosebery.
The production also showcased outstanding cross-curricular collaboration. Bespoke costumes were designed by A-Level fashion and textiles students, blending historical influences with contemporary flair. A-Level design and technology students engineered the show’s thrones, with music performed by members of the school band.
David Lach, headteacher at Rosebery School, praised the joint efforts of everyone involved in the production. He said:
“This is a truly homemade production, and a distinctively Rosebery production too. From the thrones crafted by our students, to the choreography to the outfits worn, our students have well and truly put their stamp on Six.
“The end result was a remarkable performance, blending education and history with contemporary flair and messages of resilience and independence. Huge congratulations to everyone who took part, and thank you to all our wider community who supported us.”
James Nicholson, interim CEO of GLF Schools, saw the production last week. He said: “I was hugely impressed with Rosebery’s production, which showed great talent, professionalism and imagination. Everyone who took part is a huge credit to the school, and the wider GLF family.”
Release on behalf of GLF schools
Photo: Credit: Simon Drake Photography