Six – The musical At Sheffield Lyceum Theatre Review

Reviewed by Catherine Brown

Having always been fascinated by Henry VIII, and the fate of his multiple wives, I was pleased to get the chance to experience ‘Six’ the musical comedy currently showing at Sheffield’s Lyceum theatre. While many people remember the phrase ‘Divorced, beheaded, died. Divorced, beheaded, survived’, this show gives a chance for the Tudor Queens to rewrite history and tell their story from a female perspective.

After introducing the on-stage band as the ladies in waiting, the main cast of six explain they are going to decide which queen was dealt the worst hand. This is done through high energy songs with fun vocals and close to the bone lyrics. Chloe Hart as Catherine of Aragon starts the debate with the song ‘No Way’ explaining her refusal to be sent to a nunnery. The funniest cast member for me was Jennifer Caldwell as Anne Boleyn adamant that her beheading means she should win the competition.

‘Heart of Stone’ is a power ballad which slows the pace down performed by Casey Al-Shaqsy as Jane Seymour who despite giving Henry the heir he craved for died shortly after childbirth. A change of tempo comes next with a neon lit stage and dance music for Grace Melville as Ann of Cleves, chosen by her portrait but rejected in person. ‘Get down’ was my favourite song of the night with the brilliant line ‘Cause I’m the Queen of the castle, get down you dirty rascal’.
Next to have her say was Jaina Brock-Patel as Katherine Howard performing another sexy number ‘All you wanna do’ which had elements of a Pussycats Dolls concert. Finally the Queen possibly talking the most sense was Alana Robinson as a Beyonce inspired Catherine Parr. She brought the cast together to help them realise that they didn’t need Henry or any other men to be independent women with a story of their own to tell.

Written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, Six has an age guidance of 10+ years which is probably worth adhering to considering some of the language and innuendo. The energy from the cast is impressive considering that the show is 80 minutes long with no interval. Credit should also go to costume designer Gabriella Slade who has created an impressive array of sequined costumes reflecting pop princess meets royal ruff.

I felt that the show was a great way of presenting an alternative version of history. The audience were frequently clapping along and cheering the cast on which made it feel more like a pop concert at times. The staging was simple but the varying way in which the backdrop was lit added extra dimension to their stories. The Lyceum theatre is in a central location in the city with multiple parking options nearby. The staff gave us a warm welcome and there were lots of drink and snack options in the foyer.

Rating: 5/5

As part of a national tour, Six is running from 19th – 30th April at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre, 1 Tudor Square, Sheffield S1 2LA.

Limited tickets are still available ranging from £15 to £42.50 from
www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/six-the-musical or call 0114 249 6000.