‘SIX the Musical’ // Louise Withers and Associates

‘SIX the Musical’ was exuberant.

You’d be forgiven for thinking you were at a sold-out Beyonce concert at QPAC’s Playhouse Theatre, as ‘SIX the Musical’ premiered for Brisbane audiences – to thunderous applause.

Written by university students Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, and debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017, the show has since won 35 international awards, including two Tony awards and a Grammy nomination.

The six wives of Henry VIII are reimagined into contemporary pop divas for a “live” competition show, describing each of their marriages to the king. Beyonce references abound in the music, but you can find nods to Ariana Grande, Avril Lavigne and more contemporary performers through costuming and physicality.

The all-female band (music director Claire Healy and assistant music director Heidi Maguire playing keys, Kathryn Stammers on drums, Danielle Colligan on guitar and Ann Metry on bass) played on risers upstage, adding to the concert atmosphere.

Sound was excellent and vocals impeccable; these women gave everything they had, commanding the stage for the non-stop 80-minute show. Kudos to international associate choreographer Freya Sands and resident choreographer Cristina D’Agostino; the dance breaks were perfectly in sync, with ‘All You Wanna Do’ particularly effective storytelling through choreography.

History becomes herstory, with creators Marlow and Moss explaining one of their goals was to show “stories told by women do not have to be about or include men in order to be entertaining.” There is no question they have succeeded to great effect. The show also nails its aim of staying self-aware while addressing the more serious issues, such as sexual abuse disguised by slut-shaming, sadly still relevant 500 years later.

The format may be a competition show, but it would be impossible to declare a winner out of the six wives. Kimberley Hodgson slayed the fiercely charismatic opening solo as Catherine of Aragon; Deirdre Khoo’s “Lol-ing” millennial take on Anne Boleyn earned laughs on almost every line and original Australian cast member Loren Hunter was stunning as Jane Seymour. Hunter’s stand-still ballad ‘Heart of Stone’ served as a beautiful contrast to the high-energy dance-pop numbers that came before and after; a spine-tingling performance and excellent directing choice.

Dance captain/swing Chiara Assetta played the role of Anna of Cleves on premiere night, delighting the audience with her facial expressions and comedy in both her solo and the hilarious ‘Haus of Holbein’ German rave group number. Brisbane-born-and-raised Chelsea Dawson impressed as Katherine Howard; starting out fluffy then bringing real emotion to her character’s recognition that it was not love and connection the men in her life were after, after all. Finally, Giorgia Kennedy as Catherine Parr delivered such soulful vocals and uplifting stage presence, that it’s easy to see comparisons to Alicia Keyes.

Like any good pop concert, set design, lighting and costuming were integral parts of the production. Set designer Emma Bailey describes the amphitheatre set-up as an “intimate tech-pop Tudor court”. Bailey used nine metal frames to surround the action, giving a rock ‘n’ roll vibe with black steel and industrial mesh. LED lights were embedded into the sets, used for their colour-changing ability in order to highlight each of the queen’s colours during their solo performances. Associate lighting designer Jason Fripp’s initial experience in rock ‘n’ roll served him well here; the atmosphere was perfect and the lighting punctuated the choreography and vocals.

Costuming by Gabriella Slade was appreciated, and imitated, by the audience, with a huge number of theatre-goers in their best ‘SIX’ gear. Slade explains in the program that colour was the anchor point of each character’s design, with further details reflecting individual personalities. Aragon’s enlarged shoulders, stomacher front and corsetry laced arms “suggests tradition and steeliness”; Boleyn has her “B choker, which is historically accurate but also hints at her demise while still feeling quite punky.” The research into architecture, paintings and textile designs paid off – the overall impact of these elements was just the right mix of old Tudor style and new pop concert aesthetic.

‘SIX the Musical’ was exuberant as in: full of energy, excitement and cheer. As audiences were invited to stand, dance and film the encore number, it felt invigorating to celebrate these six characters, the performers who portrayed them, and the women behind the music and lyrics of the show. The production reminds us that we have a voice with which to tell our experiences, and was a refreshing new take on the musical format and the story of Henry VIII.

‘SIX the Musical’ performs in Brisbane until Sunday, 9 February 2025 at QPAC’s Playhouse Theatre. For more information, visit the musical’s Australian website here.