Over the weekend, my daughter and I were fortunate enough to catch a show. We went to the Palace Theatre in Manchester to watch SIX the Musical. It was our first time seeing the show, and we were certainly not disappointed by this amazing production!
SIX the Musical
SIX the Musical is a rather unique concept. Held in theatres up and down the UK, the show feels more like a lively pop concert than a traditional show or musical. The theme of the show is the Six wives of King Henry VIII – Catherine of Aragon, Ann Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr. Each Queen has a solo, and there are several musical numbers in between their solos. The Queens have decided to do battle to see which wife of Henry VIII had it worst. This naturally leads to some hilarity as the women argue over whether execution or divorce was a worse fate.
Each musical number is beautifully written. Consisting mostly of upbeat tunes that will get your feet tapping and give you the urge to simply get up in the aisles as dance, there is one absolute power ballad which will send shivers down your spine. In between each number, the Queens argue amongst themselves, and the jibes will have you crying with laughter.
The cast is extremely small, consisting of only 6. They are accompanied by their backing band, another 4 women. This makes the show feel rather intimate and offers a new experience for the regular theatre goer.
The show is rather short, approximately 90 mins long, and there is no interval, which maintains the flow and, for this show, is totally appropriate.
SIX The Musical, Manchester
Watching SIX the Musical at the Palace Theatre, Manchester, was one of the best theatre experiences I have ever had. The cast on stage were absolutely incredible. The vocal performances were fantastic. The energy in the theatre throughout the performance was utterly electric, and I think the cast could feel the enthusiasm from the audience. It is difficult to choose a favourite, and I wouldn’t like to, simply because each queen gave an outstanding performance. My daughter and I did note how hilarious Ann Boleyn was on stage. She really played up to the character, and her mannerisms, accent and beautiful vocals really brought the character to life.
After the show, we had the opportunity to meet some members of the cast. My daughter stood in utter awe of these superstars who were the kindest group of performers we have ever encountered. Four of the queens came out to greet the fans and took time to chat with each person standing out in the cold waiting for their autograph or to catch a quick selfie.
How amazing they all were on and off the stage, and we cannot wait to see them all perform again!
