Six has come a long way since its humble beginnings at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017, as a show put together by Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society. Since then, Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’s hit musical has become a global phenomenon with a West End transfer which keeps moving to larger and larger theatres, as well as a Tony Award winning Broadway production. If that wasn’t enough it is currently touring across the United Kingdom, North America, Australia and New Zealand, with tours in South Korea and Holland later this year. Out of all of these options I took the opportunity to catch the latest UK Tour cast in Liverpool before they jet off to South Korea in March 2023.
I sometimes feel I have learnt more about History through musical theatre than I ever did in school. Six is no different, telling the story of each of Henry VIII’s six wives (with a handful of inaccuracies but we’ll let that slide). It is less a musical and more of a concert, and this works in its favour. Each wife battles to be the winner, singing a song to prove that they had it worst. This however doesn’t mean that they are willing to be defined by the famous monarch, the show is a clear celebration of sisterhood and feminism.
The music to Six is some of the best out there. Pre-Covid, producers revealed the cast recording had been streamed 100million times! You can only imagine how much this has inevitably skyrocketed up over the last 3 years, with international transfers and lockdown streaming! Entering the smoke-filled stage one by one, announcing the word which tells how their marriage ended, the show opens with introductory song ‘Ex Wives’ setting the scene. From the get go the audience know they are in for a fun time with lyrics filled with countless laugh out loud moments. My standout song came early on from Chlöe Hart (playing Catherine of Aragon) who gave the most compelling portrayal of the character I have seen during ‘No Way’, injecting much welcomed humour and sass.
Where Six really gets it right is in casting, which is always as inclusive as possible. No role on the stage is ever defined by colour or even size, making each cast truly unique, exciting and relatable. The current UK tour cast are truly phenomenal. It was great to see regional accents being showcased by several queens. Jennifer Caldwell’s strong northern accent only made her self-confident embodiment of Anne Boleyn all the more hilarious.
For those lucky enough to get tickets at the front, expect lots of interaction with the queens, who give plenty of eye contact and encouragement to get up and dance where appropriate. At times it feels like a real pop concert. With Little Mix on an indefinite hiatus, it is safe to say that I have no shame in saying that Six are my favourite girl band. They even let you get your phones out for the final song, a genius bit of free marketing for a show if ever I did see one! Don’t worry theatre etiquette is observed at all other times, with the audience captivated in this 5-star show from beginning to end.
At around an hour and twenty minutes straight through, you can happily enjoy a midweek night out, without being too tired for work the next day. In fact, I insist you do when it comes to a city near you. Six remains on tour with dates and locations being added on a regular basis. Book early though as the queens usually sell out which ever theatre they visit! It also continues to play at the Vaudeville Theatre in London and internationally. See below for booking details.
See the MegaSix from the performance I attended below: