A right royal hit! Musical sensation SIX extends its reign in the West End.
OUR VERDICT
Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. The story behind the musical sensation that is SIX is an inspiring one, and I don't just mean the Tudor wives…
In 2017, university student Toby Marlow was selected by the Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society to create and write a new musical that would be performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Marlow, who was in his final year, created a concept for a musical that would involve re-telling the story of King Henry VIII's six ex-wives.
He partnered with fellow student, Lucy Moss, and they began working on the musical together. Drawing inspiration from documentaries, history books and Beyoncé, they wrote SIX in just a matter of days.
The show opened in 2018 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and has since gone on to win over 35 international awards, including two Tony Awards, three WhatsOnStage Awards, and five Olivier nominations. It can be seen live on stage around the world, from New York to Tokyo, and on tour across the UK, North America, Australia, and more. Earlier this year, the show reached 1.5million social media followers globally, with song streams soon to reach 1 billion.
It’s safe to say that SIX has become something of a global sensation.
The show has also just extended its reign in the West End at the Vaudeville Theatre and is now booking through to 4 May 2025, so I thought I would go and see what all the fuss was about.
In a nutshell, SIX tells the untold story of the six Tudor wives and the infamous ex that they all have in common. The format is less plot and more pop concert; it opens with ‘the Queens’ suggesting an X-Factor style competition where each one has the opportunity to tell their story through song, with the audience eventually crowning whomever they feel had the worst time being married to one of history’s most infamous kings. And so, one by one, we hear their stories of love, loss and royal scandal.
From the get-go, the glorious high energy and irresistible sassiness of the Queens is utterly captivating; they glide through tight choreography with regal ease, there is not one fumble or missed move. The costumes are another royal triumph; sparkling, studded and slick, with clever contemporary nods to puffed sleeves and spiky crowns.
There’s stadium-esque lighting, a compact set, and a fabulous on-stage band, known as the ‘Ladies in Waiting’. Sensorily, it is an utter delight.
And then there is the show’s Tony Award-winning score; a faultless, toe tapping and at times touching amalgamation of incredibly clever lyrics, rocking riffs and exhilarating high notes. All six Queens (Nikki Bentley, Thao Therese Nguyen, Kayleigh McKnight, Naomi Alade, Inez Budd and Janiq Charles on the night that I saw the show) are so absurdly talented and belt out their numbers with so much oomph that the whole thing is nothing short of mesmerising.
From Jane Seymour’s touching ‘Heart of Stone’ – performed ever so powerfully by Kayleigh McKnight – to Anne of Cleve’s ‘Get Down’ – an riotous, mic-drop worthy number nailed by Naomi Alade, there’s not one dud – quite the opposite. The neon lit, German techno-inspired ‘Haus of Holbein’ had all ages bouncing in their seats, and days later I am still singing the incredibly catchy ‘No Way’ – the anthem of Catherine of Aragon - a tremendous Nikki Bentley.
“If you think for a moment - I'd grant you annulment - just hold up - there's n-n-n-n-n-n-no way…”
The six wives eventually unite. Their final number and the one that the show is probably most famous for – SIX – is irresistibly upbeat but also bittersweet. It tells the story of the alternative lives that the Queens wish they had had, as opposed to their grisly realities. It’s clever moments like this that ensure that the show's sense of integrity, alongside the high-octane entertainment value.
Well-deserving of its many awards, SIX is a joyous celebration of sisterhood, and offers an empowering, uplifting and refreshingly different perspective on these remarkable Queens, separate from their status as wives. It may be an essentially simple concept, but that is the brilliance of it. It is skilfully written and executed (ahem...) with sass and slickness, and at just 1hr 20mins (with no interval) it’s snappy too.
Since opening, I’ve heard that the show has garnered something of a cult following, with some super fans going to see it time and time again. Where do I sign up?
SIX is booking until 25 May 2025 at The Vaudeville Theatre, 404 Strand, WC2R 0NH. Tickets from £34.50 (£2.50 booking fee per ticket for online and phone sales). Age recommendation 10+. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Book online at sixthemusical.com
