Henry V111 King of England, six wives are taking Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre by storm and have reshaped the story as we know it. Beheaded, Divorced, and Catherine Parr who outlived Henry bring the stage alive with an incredible all-female cast and band.
‘A witty, pop-fuelled musical packed full of sass, SIX remixes the history of the six wives of Henry VIII – Britain’s notorious Tudor King – as they take to the microphone to re-tell their stories and reclaim their HERstories, once and for all. Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr. Inspired by the canon of music divas Adele, Lily Allen, and Ariana Grande, and with support from the SIX band Ladies in Waiting, the women transform from Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses as they tell their rebellious tales.’
The show begins with a bang, the incredible costumes that instantly capture my attention along with lighting, music, and most incredible vocals, as the Queens set out to upstage one another and reclaim their crowns.
‘Playing the first wife of Henry VIII, the sassy Catherine of Aragon is Phoenix Jackson Mendoza. The rule-breaking second wife Anne Boleyn is played by Kala Gare; Loren Hunter takes on the role of the loyal third wife Jane Seymour, the independent Anna of Cleves is played by Kiana Daniele, Chelsea Dawson takes on the role of the playful fifth wife, Katherine Howard and Vidya Makan plays the empowering Catherine Parr.’
Joining the SIX Australian Queens are the extremely talented swings made up of Karis Oka and Shannen Alyce Quan, Dance Captain Chiara Assetta, and Resident Choreographer/Alternate Swing Cristina D’Agostino.
This cleverly adapted modern musical is a thrilling fast-paced ride over 75 minutes that proves all of the women are equally important in their own right and we see them all-embracing one another with a heartfelt and uplifting end.
As a huge fan of the Tudor history, this show is sassy, fun, and incredibly energetic. The all-female band was powerful, and the songs were very cleverly written to tell this story. This production is a 10/10 from start to finish!
Written and reviewed by Melinda Sullivan
MELBOURNE – COMEDY THEATRE 17 JUNE – 21 august
https://www.sixthemusical.com/
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