Six The Musical was the soundtrack of my lockdown.
Most of the other songs I associate with that period of my life were duly phased out, but the songs of Six have stayed with me.
I knew all the words of Ex-Wives within the week, No Way was my go-to in the car on my way to a face-masked supermarket trip and Heart of Stone quickly became my new shower ballad.
When I heard the musical was making its way north and with it a chance for the songs to move from my Spotify to the stage, there was no way I was missing it.
Six wives of Henry VIII take Eden Court by storm in stunning show
Six The Musical pits the six wives of Henry VIII against one another as they battle it out to decide who had it worst with their shared ex.
Written by Cambridge University students Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, it is set up like a pop concert with each of the queens taking centre stage to plead their case – the other five acting as backing dancers and singers as they do.
It is fitting that the show begins with the rhyme that, for many, tells the whole story of the six wives of Henry VIII: “Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.”
The true purpose of Six soon becomes obvious: to tear down this narrative and give voices to those imprisoned within it.
From the moment the wives were silhouetted against the backdrop of Eden Court’s stage and sang their first harmonised note, the whole audience could tell they were in for a show.
As in a real concert, the queens addressed and interacted with the audience, as well as with the band – or the Ladies in Waiting – who were on stage throughout.
Pop princesses rewrite history in a West End smash at Eden Court
I was naive to think I knew and loved the songs of Six before seeing the show because watching them come to life before my eyes took them to a whole new level. Added riffs and trills made every verse and chorus better than anything I had heard before, with gasps erupting from the audience as the notes hit just kept getting higher.
Each song had its own nod to a current pop princess, and the familiar styles of these icons combined with the raw emotion of each queen’s story made it so easy to feel like you knew the women standing on stage before you.
The soaring vocals from Rebecca Wickes as she sang All You Wanna Do as Katherine Howard rivalled those of Ariana Grande – complete with a high ponytail.
Jennifer Caldwell’s portrayal of Anne Boelyn was the comedic highlight of the show, particularly in her song Don’t Lose Ur Head. She brought hilarity with every line, the sarcastic and sassy queen making sure no one could forget the fate she met.
Heart of Stone was the moment I had been waiting for – I am a sucker for a proper ballad that sends shivers down your spine. Casey Al Shaqsy’s rendition as Jane Seymour flew above my expectations. It felt like the chaos and colour that had come before stood still as she unleashed a different kind of emotion; one that felt more raw than that of the other queens.
Sensational vocals and great staging make Six a treat at Eden Court
Sensational vocals aside, Six is visually stunning to watch.
There was a constant mingling of the old and new. History was even brought into the present day with a Tinder-style wife selection and the audience being encouraged to take out their phones and film the encore.
House of Holbein stages a rave on stage, complete with glow-in-the-dark glasses and ruffs as Jessica Niles takes the audience through the story of Anna of Cleves.
The bright lights covering and outlining the stage enhance the idea of it being a pop concert and changed to match the costume of each queen as she took centre stage.
Speaking of costumes: the costumes.
They were stunning, a sparkling modernisation of Tudor silhouettes with clever detailing. For example, the queens who were beheaded wear chokers and surviving queen Catherine Parr wears trousers as a symbol of power.
Carrie-Anne Ingrouille’s choreography is very girl band, with each queen performing the same moves but with their own style and flare fitting of their unique personalities.
The staging of No Way, performed by Chloe Hart as Catherine of Aragon, is the perfect example of a pop princess on tour, taking inspiration from the legend that is Beyonce.
Six The Musical at Eden Court is a feast for the eyes, ears and heart
Six the Musical was a feast for the eyes, the ears and the heart.
Each queen evolves from a word in a rhyme to a well-rounded individual through their songs and the expert portrayal of the performers who embodied them. While there are a lot of laughs, there are also gut-wrenching moments of realisation at the forgotten stories.
It is Catherine Parr, who in Inverness was played by Natalie Pilkington, who changes the tone of the show. She breaks the fourth wall and shuts down the concert, suggesting the queens sever the ties between themselves and their ex-husband.
Then, through the musical’s final song Six, the queens get the opportunity to share the endings they wish they had had.
I, along with everyone around me, left the theatre feeling empowered and honoured to have been witness to the rewriting of history – or “herstory” as the queens called it.
Tickets for Six the Musical in Inverness and Aberdeen
Six is at Eden Court in Inverness until Saturday November 12. Tickets for the remaining shows can be purchased here.
Next year, the musical will be making its way to the north-east from Tuesday May 9 to Saturday May 13. Tickets for the show at His Majesty’s in Aberdeen can be bought here.
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