SIX the Musical at Theatre Royal Sydney
Following a sellout run at the Sydney Opera House, and a highly successful residency at the Melbourne Comedy Theatre, SIX the Musical returns to Sydney by popular demand. This time it returns to the recently reopened Theatre Royal in the Sydney CBD. Since its original inception for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the show has played on West End and Broadway, collecting two Tony Awards on the way including Best Original Score.
Much like Lin-Manuel Miranda's production of Hamilton, SIX the Musical retells a unique version of history through contemporary pop music. The premise involves a girl group of six queens, who just so happen to be the ex-wives of King Henry VII, as they battle to be the leader of the group. The winning criteria for the competition is the queen who has been mistreated by King Henry VIII the most.
Upon first hearing the premise, many uninitiated audiences would be forgiven for thinking they were about to witness a live modern adaptation of a Tudors episode. In reality, SIX the Musical is essentially a live concert clashed with a battle round episode of The Voice. On first impression, there doesn't seem to be enough story to carry an intriguing plot, however, writers Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow manage to conjure incredibly clever lyrics and highly creative drama that is entertaining as it is informative.
Much of the success of the show depends on the incredible cast of six women, as they navigate their way through their unique backgrounds and history, while simultaneously engaging with each other through hilariously sassy interplay. The creative lyrics tell stories of heartbreak, anger, love, lust, independence and empowerment, as each unique queen delivers a thought-provoking performance that is witty and fun, not to mention charged with incredible power and energy.
In the roles of the six queens and six ex-wives of King Henry VIII are Phoenix Jackson Mendoza as Catherine of Aragon, Kala Gare as Anne Boleyn, Loren Hunter as Jane Seymour, Kiana Daniele as Anna of Cleves, Chelsea Dawson as Katherine Howard and Vidya Makan as Catherine Parr. Each is equally as amazing as the other, melding into a perfect unit on stage. Their vocal ability together and individually is fantastic, putting many real-life pop princesses to shame.
The fiery Phoenix Jackson Mendoza is an absolute highlight, offering a compelling and fierce rendition of her song "No Way". Meanwhile, the sassy and quick-witted Kala Gare stands out with her bold sexy lyrics and fantastic comedic timing. Loren Hunter offers a thoughtfully heart-warming performance of the ballad "Heart of Stone". At the same time, Kianna Daniele is quite hilarious in her depiction of Henry VII's least attractive ex-wife. Meanwhile, Chelsea Dawson and Vidya Makan do a fantastic job of creating necessary context and backstory for the lesser-known queens of Henry VII, offering very empowering and soulful performances.
The production features nine entertaining songs, played out as a concert over 75 minutes with no intermission. The staging is quite minimal, designed to be a contemporary mock-up of a concert stage with Elizabethan detailing. There is also, of course, the live backing band called the "Ladies in Waiting" playing various catchy tunes as the girl group elegantly strut around the stage displaying their modernized Tudor-themed costumes. The concept is so farfetched and surprising that it actually works, and is sure to blow audiences away with its unique creativity and message. The songs are also fantastic and very memorable, resembling pop tunes that you would actually hear on the radio or streaming as opposed to musical theatre.
In short, SIX the Musical is a tremendously entertaining evening that is full of surprises, with incredibly clever lyrics and catchy tunes that are sure to have audiences singing all the way home. Much of the credit has to be given to the stellar cast, who create magic out of the brilliant material written by Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow. Not only are the lyrics incredibly humourous and provocative, laced with intelligent one-liners and creative innuendo, but they are also amazingly informative with each character given the space to express their unique personal history and circumstances.
SIX has some amazing competition right now, with the stellar productions of Moulin Rouge! and The Phantom of the Opera playing at the Capitol Theatre and Sydney Opera House respectively. However, in spite of not being the stereotypical musical theatre production, SIX offers something different. A dynamic show full of colour and high energy, along with a fun empowering message. It is undeniably one of the most exciting and entertaining shows playing in Sydney right now. SIX the Musical is a must-see!
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