Prompted by the death of Elizabeth II and coronation of Charles III a cast of almost nintey ten and eleven year olds take us back to the death of Elizabeth I and through English / Scottish / Irish / Welsh / European / Religious politics to the crowning of Charles II.
Class 6W are in charge of Act 1 from Elizabeth I to the coronation of Charles I via James I, the death of Prince Henry, marriage of Charlotte, the failed Spanish Match, rise of Buckingham and proxy marriage to Henrietta.
Class 6S pick up in Act 2 majoring on the conflict between Charles I and Parliament, arguments about taxes and religiou, the assasination of Buckingham and execution of Stafford, Pride’s Purge, start of the first Civil War and foundation of the New Model Army.
Class 6R open Act 3 with the trial of Charles II and legal arguments around his execution. They deal with the Commonwealth, Cromwell’s rise to Lord Protector and Charles II’s maneuvering before a grandstand finish with his coronation.
The show was writen for its cast who helped shape it. They also co-wrote a series of songs with Katy Rose Bennett. 6W wrote All Hail The King for various coronations with a surpise up tempo second half turning the song into Charlie’s Here as a closing number. 6S composed the change Unite Attack Conquer and song Fight Fight Fight to get us through the civil wars and 6R came up with the touching number Devestated which conveys the worried uncertainty of a populous whose country in termoil.
This show is a sequal / companion piece to Any Fool Can Start A War, made with Year 6 at Billesley Primary School 2014.
Credits
ACT 1
(ORIGINAL CASTING)
Courtier – Cian
Elizabeth Tudor – Lola
James Stuart – Nuuhr
Ann of Denmark – Aylia
Henry Stuart – Aaeid
Elizabeth Stuart – Tayiba
Frederick V of the Palatinate – Aaeid
Charles Stuart – Habib
Henrietta Maria of France – Tilley
Maria Anna of Spain – Isra
Maid to Maria Anna – Momina
Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset – Ismaeel
Alexander Seton, Lord Fyvie & Servant 2 – Evelina
Lord Sinclair & Baron Lumley – Salmeen
Lord Lovat & Baron Rich – Saif
Lord Home & Baron Sheffield – Zak
George Villiers, Lord Buckingham – Masab
Godfrey Goodman, Bishop of Gloucester
& John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury – Aqsa
Servant 1 – Daniyal
Servant 3 – Zak
John Donne – Muneeb
George Gage, Ambassador
& Jean de Varigniez, French Ambassador – Mehreen
Sir Edward Coke MP – Esa
Edmund Dunch MP – Haveer
John Everard – Haseeb
Duc Claude de Chevreuse – Anees
Doctor – Tyler
Messenger – Ali
Event Planner – Saira
ACT 2
(ORIGINAL CASTING)
Courtier – Reggie/Haider
Charles Stuart – Zarah
Henrietta Maria of France – Evie May
George Villiers, Lord Buckingham – Hamza
Tax Collector – Deeyala
Wine Merchant & William Lenthall MP – Leya
Spice Merchant – Sona
Wool Merchant & William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury – Destiny
Dudley Carleton, Viscount Dorchester & Captain – Lexie
John Felton – Maysam
Innkeeper – Cadie
Heneage Finch Earl of Nottingham – Jacob
Thomas Fairfax – Umarah
Oliver Cromwell – Mahdiya
Sir John Eliot, MP & Flagbearer – Tanmayee
Midwife – Areesha
Lord 1, Hunter & Roundhead – Zareen
Lord 2 & John Fletcher – Samreen
Thomas Wentworth, Lord Stafford – Safa
Knight – Umar
Kilbride – Charlie
Soap Seller & Footman – Aidan
Aubrey de Vere, Earl of Oxford & George Montague MP – Lawrence
Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel – Yusuf
John Pym MP – Tobi
Lucius Cary, Viscount Falkland MP – Jamie
Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon MP – Maria
John Wright, Soldier – Halimah
Sarah Miller, Mother – Areesha
ACT 3
(ORIGINAL CASTING)
Courtier – Holly
Thomas Fairfax & Peasant 2 – Mehroon
Francis Russell MP – Safana
John Ashe MP – Ramisha
Hall Ravenscroft MP – Simran
Major-General Thomas Harrison & Messenger – Mafood
George Montague MP – Avneet
Thomas Grey, Lord Grey of Groby
Basil Feilding, Earl of Denbigh & Executioner – Wing
Marvell & Richard Cromwell – Faris
Oliver Cromwell – Catherine
Colonel Thomas Pride & Jeweller 1 – Lilly
Denzil Holles MP & Soldier 1 – Eden
Event Planner – Namrah
General Henry Ireton – Teah
Charles Stuart – Zack
George Evelyn MP & Soldier 2 – Nour
Thomas Margetts – Haleema
John Cook, Solicitor General & Henry Cromwell – Romanie
Sarah Miller, Mother – Areesha
John Bradshaw, President of the Court – Mohammed
Captain – Summer
Guard & Peasant 1 – Divija
Sir Robert Harley – Salomea
Jeweller 2 – Sara
Clement Kynnersley – Mia
Charles Stuart II – Maheen
Covenanter – Eman
George Monck, Duke of Albemarle – Zayam
William Juxon, Archbishop of Canterbury – Charlie
Script – James Yarker
Original Songs – Year 6 with Katy Rose Bennett
Costumes – Daisy Jane Dunne
Direction – James Yarker with Mrs James, Miss Sadley, Mrs Webb
Additional music by Thomas Tallis, Orlando Gibbons, Henry Purcell, Thomas Tompkins and William Byrd is from the era depicted, two other tracks are not – see if you can spot them.
With thanks to:
All the staff at Billesley Primary School & Stan’s Cafe
The Elliot Foundation especially Jo Clifton & Angie Watson
Daisy’s Mum & Kay Wilton at The REP
Funded by:
Creative Collaboratives, an initiative of Arts Council England
Tour dates
-
19 July, 2023
MAC, Birmingham
