SIX caused PETE’S EYEBROWS to form a SUPREME ARCH.
The Dramatic Premise
We all know about the six wives of Henry VIII…
Divorced. Beheaded. Died.
Divorced. Beheaded. Survived.
Now Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr are on stage, making their case, via song and dance, for which one of them was treated the worst by their downright despicable husband.
You’d think either Anne Boleyn or Katherine Howard, right? I mean, they both, literally, lost their heads. But the other Queens mount convincing arguments.
The Music
The show is just plain fun!
With nods to modern artists like Beyonce, J-Lo, Miley Cyrus, Alicia Keys and Adele, the music is never dull. Whilst a true ensemble piece, each Queen gets their chance to stand centre-stage and belt out a distinctive song in support of their argument that they were the most unfairly treated of them all.
In addition to sampling the look and feel of modern female songstresses, the writers also cleverly weave into the lyrics the vernacular of the modern-day tween. LOL. Sorry not sorry. Is that what you said? Unfriending. Misleading profile pics. They’re all there. And it’s genius.
The Moment
Every one of the eleven songs in SIX are toe-tappingly memorable – even for this middle-aged reviewer – and well worth the investment in the cast album.
But Anne Boleyn’s Don’t Lose Your Head is the showstopper. It’s catchy. It’s funny. It’s both insightful and inciteful! It’s just a terrific song. And one which could easily transcend musical theatre, into mainstream radio.
My review is based on seeing SIX at the Sydney Opera House in 2020 and the Theatre Royal in Sydney in 2022. The Australian production of SIX is currently playing in Brisbane and there are productions also running on The West End and Broadway. Further information on each production in the links below.
Australia • Home | Six the Musical
London • Home | Six the Musical
(Originally posted on 25 January 2023.)
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