SIX THE MUSICAL has arrived at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre, giving Henry VIII’s six wives the chance to finally tell their side of the story. Forget dusty textbooks and dates to remember. This version of Tudor history comes with pop songs, choreography, plenty of attitude and six women who are more than ready to take back the spotlight.
The 80-minute production gets straight into it, with no interval and very little time wasted. Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr each take their turn stepping into the spotlight, turning their stories into a musical competition over who had it the worst.
Sarah Murr leads the charge as Catherine of Aragon, setting the tone for the queens who follow. Mia Paris Scalise brings plenty of personality to Anne Boleyn, while Cara Bessey’s Jane Seymour provides a change of pace. Kadessa Honeywell, Angela Brischetto and Lorinda May Merrypoor round out the six as Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr.
What makes SIX so much fun is the way it refuses to treat its historical setting too seriously. The costumes, choreography and pop concert staging feel far removed from a traditional period musical. Instead, the queens are presented like a modern girl group, complete with individual personalities, musical styles and plenty of competition between them.
The Comedy Theatre feels less like a traditional theatre and more like a gig as the audience gets swept up in the energy of the six performers. There’s plenty of humour throughout, but underneath all the fun is a story about women who have largely been reduced to their relationships with one man.
By the end, SIX has shifted the focus firmly back onto the women themselves. It’s clever, funny and very easy to get caught up in.
For anyone who thinks history lessons are boring, this might be the 80-minute revision session they never knew they needed.
