Written and performed by Alison Neil
Directed by Barrie Wilmore
"Henry VIII had six wives..." one of the few historical facts most of us remember from our schooldays. But why did he marry so many times? And who was that shadowy
figure, Katherine Parr - the sixth wife who survived him?
"THE SIXTH WIFE" is set in the night, as Katherine Parr waits for her husband the King to die. She takes the opportunity to reflect on
her extraordinary life, and the reign of the glorious, tyrannical - and tragic - Henry VIII.
Katherine Parr saw each of his wives as they came and went - in a variety of unpleasant ways.
Her own life was far from peaceful: four marriages, two indictments for treason, one love affair, power, wealth and then death at the age of 36. She became
Queen Regent when Henry went to fight the French; she helped to form the new religion of England; she also befriended a lonely and abandoned child - who later
became Queen Elizabeth I.
In this fast-moving and entertaining play, Katherine casts her witty, observant eye over the turbulent Tudor age; and shows how a 'mere woman' could shape the mind
of a King - and the future of a nation.
|
FULL VERSION (ONE interval) |
ACT ONE | Running time: 50 minutes |
| ACT TWO | Running time: 50 minutes | |
|
ONE HOUR VERSION Edited play with NO interval. |
Running time: 1 hr 5 min |
"A delightful evening which had the audience in raptures" BORDON HERALD
"Alison Neil tells a riveting tale" OXFORD TIMES
"GREAT SHOW...A DELIGHTFUL ENTERTAINMENT" OXFORD MAIL
"Neil's play superbly delves into the history and politics of the time" BORDON HERALD
"An entertaining and at times funny commentary on the life of one of our most notorious monarchs" STROUD NEWS
"A PERFORMANCE EVERY BIT AS WITTY AND ASSURED AS HER OWN SCRIPT" OXFORD MAIL
"The production was pure brilliance... an outstanding performance. It is a long, long time since I was so captivated. Brilliant!" TENBY ARTS
FESTIVAL