Premiering at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017, SIX the Musical has gone on to become a phenomenon around the world, currently playing in London, on Broadway, Chicago, and on tour around Australia/New Zealand and the UK. The London production began at the Arts Theatre before temporarily moving to the Lyric Theatre after lockdown. The show has now settled in its new home, the Vaudeville Theatre.
The 75 minute pop concert (written by two young students Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss) takes a historic look at Henry VIII’s six wives, with each of them having the opportunity to say why they think they had the worst marriage. The winner gets to be the lead singer of the band!
With an all-female on-stage band and all-female cast, Six the Musical really is a show about female empowerment. Reclaiming their her-story and understanding that no one would even remember who Henry was, if not for them.
Playing their final few shows before a brand new cast begin performances next week were Jarnéia Richard-Noel (Catherine of Aragon), Courtney Bowman (Anne Boleyn), Collette Guitart (Jane Seymour), Cherelle Jay (Anna of Cleves), Sophie Isaacs (Katherine Howard) Hana Stewart (Catherine Parr).
As a cast, it really is an ensemble piece with everyone having equal stage time and recognising understudies as part of the extended band. Playing nine shows a week, at any given performance you may see any cast member as they really mix it up – but they are all equally fierce.
The songs are infectious. From the opening numbers ‘Ex Wives’ and ‘No Way’, the audience knows within seconds of the music starting that they are in for a fun, loud and girl power show. From the tender ‘Heart Of Stone’, beautifully sung by Hana Stewart to the techo-rave group number ‘Haus of Holbein’, every song is a banger!
The show feels like it’s the best it’s ever been in its new home at the Vaudeville Theatre and if you haven’t seen it yet then you really are missing out on an amazing show.
★★★★★
Reviewed by West End Wilma