The legend of Six continues as it returns to the city where it all began
Every few years, a show arrives that shakes things up. It changes the game, elevates the theatre scene and enriches the community. A show that can draw in the masses yet still feel deeply personal to those already invested in live theatre and the arts. Six is one such show, returning to Edinburgh at the Festival Theatre for its most recent UK tour.
You’d have to have been hiding under a rock for the past nine years not to have at least heard of this show by now, but for those less familiar: Six began at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017. Telling the stories of the wives of Henry VIII, this wonderfully camp musical about a pop contest between the Tudor queens became a sensation that swept across the nation, transitioning from the Fringe to the West End, and leading to multiple UK tours, international productions and acclaim across the globe, as well as a proshot screened in cinemas with the original West End queens. The rest, as they say, is history (or as our queens would put it, “her-story”). Six exploded across the world, and for good reason. In the musical theatre zeitgeist, there are very few productions with an entirely or even mostly female cast, and certainly none that have reached these heights.
There are multiple reasons Six is so huge, and why it will likely stay that way for years to come. Possibly the main one is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The entire concept revolves around the Tudor queens as a pop group; it’s always been incredibly silly, and it leans into that silliness without hesitation. That’s not to say the message is unimportant, or that their stories go ignored, it’s just very self-aware. It also helps that there isn’t a bad song in the mix. Some land better than others, it’s all down to perspective, though for my part, there are no skips on the soundtrack. The song that best captures the crazy nature of Six is, without question, “Haus of Holbein.” An EDM number about a 16th-century German Renaissance painter is as niche as it gets. The lighting and brief costume alteration are the cherry on top. It’s one of the biggest laugh-out-loud moments in all of musical theatre, and it captures the satirical nature of the show perfectly. It’s also one of the few numbers where everyone sings together, rather than as backup vocals for each queen’s solo.
Speaking of our queens, this touring cast includes faces old and new. This performance featured Madison Swan as Catherine of Aragon, Erin Summerhayes as Anne Boleyn, Laura Dawkes as Jane Seymour, Hannah Victoria as Anna of Cleves, Lizzie Emery as Katherine Howard and Eloise Lord as Catherine Parr. The beauty of such a small cast is that there’s room to give everyone their flowers, and this ensemble sounded amazing, handling the show’s humour with finesse. By now, many people have seen Six more than once, so comic timing is essential for a show with such an avid fanbase. These queens knocked it out of the park with their quirky, sardonic, wry energy. The most elegant thing about the lifespan of any show is that a new actor can come in and bring something completely fresh to their character, and in a show with such a small cast, that matters even more. Everyone made their part their own, so there are no cracked jewels in this crown. The choreography was tight, the harmonies gorgeous, and the chemistry between everyone is what makes the show truly worth seeing. The band were splendid too. Six is unique in that every band member has a character name, taken from the ladies-in-waiting of the Tudor queens. It’s a lovely touch, and more inclusive than most shows manage.
As mentioned, plenty of things make this show popular, but perhaps the most important lies in its “Six-Point Plan,” the manifesto creators Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss set out to fulfil. Point three states: “We aim to show that even 500 years later, there are still parallels to be found in the female experience.” Every queen is someone’s favourite, because every one of these women can be related to by modern standards in some way, shape or form. Six has become a safe space for many, where people feel seen and understood, which is the most beautiful thing theatre can do for us. That’s what makes this show so special. It really is one of a kind. “No category.”
Overall, this show is zany, funny, highly entertaining and as relevant as it’s ever been. Whether it’s your first time at court or you’ve been in the queendom from the start, you’ll have a royally grand time.