Six Things to Know About 'SIX The Musical' Before You See it Live
Our bluffer’s guide to the six most important things you need to understand about SIX The Musical before you even step into the theatre.
If you’ve ever shared a drink with a buddy — and accompanied it with a horror dating story — then you might have a few things in common with the main characters in SIX The Musical.
The six is in refererence to the respective wives of King Henry VIII, who, in his era (the Tudor era to be exact), had all the females swiping right because, well, he was a literal king.
However, SIX The Musical gives the ladies the last laugh. This pop reworking of history’s most famous divorcee is ultimately a story about empowerment which puts the women behind the man — quite literally — on centre stage.
What you’ll get is a stage show full of sparkle, sass and comedy. Interested? Here are six other fun facts you need to know about SIX The Musical before you see it live.
King Henry VIII Said "I Do" Six Times
Some of the best things in life come in units of six. While abs and packs of beer are the obvious ones, this list also includes the number of wives who were at various points married to the former English monarch.
The names of this sextet are Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr. And, even if you’re not a history buff you wouldn’t be mistaken if you find that any of these monikers ring a bell. The Tudor monarch’s love life has inspired plenty of pop culture content over the years including the 2008 movie The Other Boleyn Girl starring Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson.
… But It’s Anything But a Boring History Lesson
Fast and funny, SIX is a pop-fuelled musical that packs plenty into its 75-minute show — and is probably not how you remember your high-school history lessons.
In this uplifting incarnation, SIX The Musical rewrites history and gives the mic back to every one of the former wives of the King, so they can tell their stories, transform into pop princesses (or queens) one by one, and battle it out for the position of girl group lead singer, in the process.
Alongside a banging soundtrack, expect plenty of style on the SIX stage. Think: sparkling crowns, heavy gold necklaces and ornate jewel-coloured dresses with regal detailing.
SIX costume designer Gabriella Slade opted to use plastics, studs and stones in many costumes to reflect the modern materials of a pop queen. In fact, every individual queen’s custom-made boots were created by the same people that dress Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and that other Queen (Beyonce) with each one featuring 1000 stones on the heel alone.
Add in strobe effects, theatrical haze, electrifying choreography, plus the kind of infectious tunes that have received 500 million audio streams worldwide, and the medieval history lessons from your school days will feel like a lifetime away.
Wonder Women
In case you haven’t worked out by now, SIX is really an empowering story and celebration of women, giving a soapbox to the six wives of Henry VIII to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak and retell the narrative their way.
And while it gives a voice to the women who (historically) almost always met a gruesome demise (divorced, beheaded, died), the show’s music is also accompanied by an all-female live band that legitimately shreds.
A Cast of Queens
SIX’s latest stint in the Sunshine State, features some of the most exciting performers on the Aussie stage.
Among them is Kala Gare (Rent) playing Anne Boleyn, Loren Hunter (Strictly Ballroom: The Musical) taking on the role of Jane Seymour, Kiana Daniele (Dirty Dancing) stepping into the sparkly heels of Anna of Cleves, and Vidya Makan (Green Day’s American Idiot) similarly picking up the part of Catherine Parr. Phoenix Jackson Mendoza (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Chelsea Dawson (Shrek the Musical) complete the sensational lineup of talent, performing the roles of Catherine of Aragon and Katherine Howard, respectively.
A Global Smash Hit
Since its debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017, SIX The Musical’s eccentric performances have captured a global audience. Both online and off.
As well as appearing on London’s West End, and achieving 23 accolades for its Broadway shows including the Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics), #SIXtheMusical has also amassed three billion views on TikTok and 500 million soundtrack streams worldwide.
Following sold-out stints across Australia, it is now headed to Brisbane’s QPAC Playhouse.
If you want to catch a performance, you need to do so before summer is over
This spectacular show is on for a strictly limited season, with the final curtain call of its Brisbane show set for Sunday, February 19 2023. But with tickets selling quickly, we suggest that you snap up your seat, stat.
Grab your tickets to the latest performance of SIX The Musical by visiting the QPAC website.