THEATRE REVIEW: Six - The Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield.

They say some things are worth waiting for - and given this tour was postponed due to covid, it felt like I’d been a lady-in-waiting for centuries. Was it worth the wait…?

What started out as Toby Marlow being selected in late 2016 by Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society to write a new musical to be performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe the next summer went on to become an international phenomenon and nominated for several Olivier Awards (2019). Marlow got the idea during a poetry class - the initial six wives concert concept - which lead him to get friend Lucy Moss involved in the project. Despite uncertainties, the pair wrote part of the show while studying for their final exams. Marlow researched by reading Antonia Fraser’s “The Six Wives of Henry VIII”, while Moss viewed a documentary series, “Six Wives” by Lucy Wolseley. At their first writing session together, they watched a 2011 Beyoncé concert and story-telling performance, Live at Roseland: Elements of 4. Over the course of approximately 10 non-consecutive days, Marlow and Moss established the foundation for the show.

It’s a modern day retelling of the lives of the six wives of, presented in the style of a pop concert. Forming a band the Queens decide to get the audience to listen to their stories and decide which one suffered the most during their marriage to Henry, the winner then becoming the band's lead singer. It’s their stories THEIR way.

It sets to reclaim history for the six beleaguered Queens and is filled with feminist messages proving that “Girl Power” is still alive and kicking.  A joyous celebration of Sisterhood - it’s refreshing to see an all-female cast (and all female band live on stage) without the often poor fates or treatment of female characters in other musicals (Fantine in Les Mis, Nancy in Oliver! etc).

Each Queen has their own “Queenspirations” - modern day artists they’d compare themselves to, had they existed in the current day. First comes Catherine of Aragon (Chloe Hart) who’s Queenspirations are Beyoncé and Shakira, who was originally married to Henry’s older brother (who she married at the tender age of 15). Married for 24 years she was remembered for refusing to accept that her marriage was invalid (“so if you try to dump me, you won’t try that again”) and gave a dramatic speech to Henry at the court to the judge at the annulment of their marriage. We get to hear how each wife came about marrying and separating from Henry but also get a glimpse of how different things could have been had they wised up to his wicked egotistical ways. It’s set as though it happened in the current era with nods to factual information about each wife’s history. Up next (beheaded) comes Anne Boleyn (Jennifer Caldwell) “why did I lose my head? Well my sleeves may be green but my lipstick’s red” - her Queenspirations are Lily Allen and Avril Lavigne, she was famous for having a sixth fingernail and bringing about the break with the Pope. Hart and Caldwell get to sing what are, in my opinion, the best solo songs of this short musical (just nine songs and no interval). Hart with the full-on girl power anthem “No Way” where she tells Henry that no way will she be replaced by another woman. Caldwell gets the catchy and hilarious “Don’t Lose Ur Head” -  where she (if set in the current era) is mocked by the others for sending kisses in a text to Henry and apologises saying she wasn’t expecting to then move him with him and his wife.

There’s only a couple of slower more serious songs in this musical, my favourite being the magical “Heart Of Stone” - the “only one he truly loved. When my son was newly born, I died, but I’m not what I seem or I am?” Casey Al-Shaqsy gave an ovation-worthy rendition of this ultimate power song. Al-Shaqsy’s vocals made every hair on my body stand on end and brought a tear to my eyes. Easily my favourite of the night.

Tonight we had one alternate on - Grace Melville (Alternate Catherine of Aragon/Anna of Cleves) - as Anna of Cleves. Melville. a 2021 D&B Academy of Performing Arts graduate, makes her professional debut in Six. I love seeing alternates in productions and Melville certainly did not disappoint tonight. Cleves's Queenspirations are Nicki Minaj and Rihanna and Melville certainly channelled her inner diva in her rendition of “Get Down” where Cleves brags about having to live in a palace that she owned whilst having very little to do with Henry and enjoyed the finer things in life even after their divorce. A Queen after my own heart - sounds like the perfect life!

Another Queen debut following a 2019 graduation from Guildford School of Acting is Jaina Brock-Patel as Katherine Howard, channelling her inner Ariana Grande and Britney Spears as the “Katherine who lost her head…lock up your husband’s, lock up your sons - K-Howard is here and the fun’s begun”.

Our final Queen - Alana M Robinson as Catherine Parr - the only surviving wife - Parr was the first woman in England to publish books under her own name and in English. Queenspirations are Alicia Keys and Emeli Sandé. Parr was “the final wife, I saw him to the end of his life”…how did she get that far? Listen to her story to find out.

Ironically had the audience or a judge on such as X Factor or Britains Got Talent actually been choosing a lead singer for their band, there’d have been some clear ones for the grand final with others being eliminated earlier on in the competition. Chloe Hart was one of the stronger vocalists and performers - no wonder she’s performed other strong female roles including Tracey Turnblad in 'Hairspray' (West End) and Pat in 'Kinky Boots'. Either the quality of the performers wilted a little with each new wife singing a solo telling their stories, [or I just struggled to hear the more I had to tolerate the person behind me singing along badly out of tune but incredibly loudly to the point it interfered with my hearing aid!] (what happened to active/proactive usherettes?) - and whilst we tried not to let this effect the quality of the show it become harder not to when we were struggling to hear the talented musically trained cast we’d waited years to see, instead we were forced to tune out of the sound and focus on the stunning costumes (Gabriella Slade) and slick energetic choreography (Carrie-Anne Ingrouille).

I can hand-on-heart say it was certainly worth the wait and my only wish is to get to see it again without audience distraction. It’s a feel-good re-write of historical facts with some “what if?” fiction thrown in to give food for thought. If only history had been this catchy when I was at school I might have got a higher grade, but at least now it’s helped me remember the fate of each wife and given me the urge to learn more about these amazing women.

Luckily the musical has been such a success that hopefully it shouldn’t be too many years to wait for it to tour again.

Reviewer - Lottie Davis-Browne
on - 20.4.222