SIX The Musical
Book, lyrics and music by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. Directed by Lucy Moss and JamieArmitage. Choreographed by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille. Set Design by Emma Bailey. Costume Design by Gabriella Slade, Lighting Design is by Tim Deiling and Sound Design is by Paul Gatehouse. The Orchestrator is Tom Curran and Musical Supervisor is Joe Beighton. Originally Produced by Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes, and George Stiles Produced in Australia by Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Linda Bewic. Canberra Theatre. Canberra Theatre Centre. April 27 - May 15 2022. Bookings: www.canberratheatre.com.au or 62435711.
Reviewed by Peter Wilkins
And the Canberra Theatre went wild! Musical Theatre sensation Six has come to town to give us a turbo charged lesson in history. Creators Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss have resurrected the six wives of Henry Vlll in a show that will rock your socks off. If only Henry's hapless wives had the sheer chutzpa of SIX's cast of six, Herstory would have made History history.
Greensleeves is given an electronic variation as the six futuristic Pop divas strut onto the stage against a backdrop of coloured LED lights. It's Spice Girls meet Cell Block Tango as the six performers introduce the audience to each of Henry's divorced, beheaded and live wives. The question is, "Who suffered the most?" Who would win a competition for the title of Henry's most unfortunate and wronged wife? First comes Catherine of Aragon (Phoenix Jackson Mendoza ) who No Way is going to lose her cool but after giving birth to Mary does lose Henry through divorce. Her father told Anne Boleyn (Kala Gare) Don't Lose Your Head and what did she do? She would say that by giving birth to Elizabeth 1st. she changed history. Soft hearted Jane Seymour (Loren Hunter) gave Henry a son and then died. If only she'd had a Heart of Stone. Widower Henry then turned to Germany and the House of Holbein to seek a wife but Anne of Cleves (Chiara Assetta) couldn't live up to her portrait. Katherine Howard (Chelsea Dawson) thought that she could control Henry and tell him to Get Down You Dirty Rascal, because all you want to do is touch and feel me but noone tells the king what to do unless you want to visit the chopping block. We will never know if Catherine Parr (Vidya Makan) would have survived if Henry had not died leaving her free to marry her lover, Thomas Seymour, brother to Jane Seymour. It's a strange world. And suddenly Makan breaks the fourth wall. Is this a competition that celebrates the abuse of women and the patriarchal dominance of misogyny? Isn't it time to realize that We Don't Need Your Love.
Six is a history
lesson on steroids. It not only teaches us the past but points the way to the
future. Six is seventy five minutes
of full throttled fun with an unexpected twist. If only we could turn back
time. Highly recommended.
Photos by James D Morgan-Getty Images
