Divorced, Beheaded, Alive with Talent – SIX the Musical at the Edinburgh Playhouse
It’s strange that I haven’t reviewed Six the Musical before now, given how many times I’ve seen it – including the recent cinema broadcast. Over the last few years, it has quickly become one of my favourite modern musicals, and seeing it return to Edinburgh, the city where it first premiered at the Fringe in 2017, is always welcome.
Created by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss while they were still students at Cambridge, Six began as a witty and inventive fringe production that reimagined the six wives of Henry VIII as a modern girl group. It has since grown into an international success, earning Olivier and Tony nominations, and amassing a devoted fan base that behaves less like a traditional theatre audience and more like the followers of an iconic pop band – dressing up as their favourite queens and producing the kind of excited noise usually reserved for arenas.
The show’s concept remains elevator-pitch-perfect: six women reclaim their stories, telling their side of history in the form of a concert, competing with each other as to who suffered the most ‘BS’ at the hands of Henry. It plays fast and loose with factual accuracy in places, but that’s part of its charm – it’s a gateway drug for both musicals and history, introducing audiences to the Tudors with verve and wit.
It’s always fun to see how interpretations of the roles vary with each production, and the latest UK tour cast brought fresh energy to each queen. LaSasha Aldredge’s Catherine of Aragon kicked-off the solo numbers with “No Way,” and for the first time, this song stood out for me. Aldredge brought a soulful, commanding presence to the role, giving it a punch and power I hadn’t experienced in previous productions. Yna Montarde’s Anne Boleyn followed with a suitably mischievous “Don’t Lose Ur Head”, while Emily Dawson’s Jane Seymour gave a stunning rendition of “Heart of Stone”. Jodie Knight’s Anna of Cleves owned the stage, exuding bad-ass, boss-bitch charisma while Sammy Timbers’ Katherine Howard captured both the peppy, fun surface and the underlying darkness of “All You Wanna Do” with nuance and grit. Finally, Layla Chivandire as Catherine Parr delivered rich, mature vocals that excelled in her solo moments as well as anchoring the ensemble beautifully.
The all-female band, aptly titled the Ladies in Waiting, provided tight, vibrant accompaniment throughout and, along with the slick lighting and set design, ensured the high octane pop concert feel never faltered.
A real test of stamina for the cast, this show is non-stop energy (literally) from start to finish and demands that they be triple threats as well as great comedians. Despite being an 80-minute show without an interval, it never loses its momentum or heart. It remains smart, irreverent, and wildly entertaining.
Whether you’re drawn in by the Tudor intrigue or the irresistible pop hooks, Six delivers both with flair. Almost an annual tradition for me now, I can confidently say that this is one production that continues to reign supreme – and long may these Queens rule.
All words by Susan Sloan.