Comedy duo Living Spit Theatre are performing The Six Wives Of Henry VIII at The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury, on February 11
Last year, archaeologists found the remains of King Richard III under a car park in Leicester, and the life and demise of this monarch came under the spotlight for a short period of time. Continuing with the notion of rekindling royal figures from the past, Living Spit Theatre presents The Six Wives Of Henry VIII, performed by comedy duo Howard Coggins and Stu McLoughlin on Tuesday February 11.
The show’s conception was a result of McLoughlin touring Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, and noticing a similarity between his co-star and a certain rotund monarch: “Has anyone ever told you that you look like Henry VIII?... I’m standing in front of his portrait now, and it’s just you in a costume.”
“There’s a show in there somewhere”, was the reply.
After touring with award winning theatre company Kneehigh in the United States, Stu joined co-star Coggins and director Craig Edwards to devise this sharp and sassy show that guarantees a surprising and fascinating evening. This harmonious pair first met in 1997, with Stu as a member of Bristol Old Vic Youth Theatre and Howard a recent graduate of The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. While both actors perform with an abundance of enthusiasm and notable comedic timing, their versatility as performers is very much prominent as their skills as musicians are also showcased in this master class of wit and deft theatricality.
The Six Wives Of Henry VIII is a refreshing retelling of the life of a well known monarch, with historical facts seamlessly woven with tomfoolery and madness. The show was an undisputed hit at both the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Bristol Old Vic, and with live original music, embroidery, Barbie dolls, silly songs and historical hysteria, this promises to be an ill-researched lesson in cross dressing Tudor History that audiences will never forget.
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Tickets cost £13, with concessions available, and can be purchased from The Roses Box Office on 01684 295074 or online at www.rosestheatre.org
