Overview
If you're a Brisbanite who loves musicals, the last year or so has seen you absolutely spoilt for choice. When theatres have been open, everything from An American in Paris, Frozen the Musical and Cruel Intentions: the 90s Musical through to 9 to 5 the Musical, Friends! The Musical Parody, Cinderella and Come From Away have hit the city's stages. And, Mary Poppins is on its way as well.
Also now heading to Brissie: Six the Musical. No, Hamilton isn't the only hit musical from the past few years that took a few cues from the past, paired a well-known chapter of history with toe-tapping tunes and made on-stage magic. Indeed, this one proved such a hit during its most recent Sydney stint — a whopping during its 15-week Sydney Opera House run over summer — that it's returning to the Harbour City as well, then heading up to the Sunshine State this summer.
From Friday, December 30, Six the Musical will hit up the QPAC Playhouse with a pop-fuelled take on royal intrigue. First premiering back at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, then jumping to London's West End, the show takes inspiration from one of the most famous sextets there's ever been — because even if you don't know much about Britain's past kings and queens, you likely know that Henry VIII had six wives.
The Tudor monarch's love life has inspired plenty of pop culture content over the years — including 00s TV series The Tudors and 2008 movie The Other Boleyn Girl — but this one takes the pop part rather seriously. Six the Musical is presented as a pop concert, in fact, with Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr all taking to the microphone to tell their stories. Each woman's aim: to stake their claim as the wife who suffered the most at the king's hands, and to become the group's lead singer as a result.
For its Brisbane stint, Kala Gare (Rent) plays Anne Boleyn, Loren Hunter (Strictly Ballroom: The Musical) takes on Jane Seymour, Kiana Daniele (Dirty Dancing) will step into Anne of Cleves' shoes and Vidya Makan (Green Day's American Idiot) will do the same with Catherine Parr.
And, Phoenix Jackson Mendoza (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Chelsea Dawson (Shrek the Musical) also feature, as Catherine of Aragon and Catherine Howard respectively.
Six the Musical will play the QPAC Playhouse from Friday, December 30. For more information, head to the musical's website. To register for QPAC's ticket waitlist, head to the QPAC website.
Images: James D Morgan, Getty Images.