PSA: SIX The Musical is back, and it’s going Australia wide.

No.

People told me but I didn't believe them.        

First, it was my mum. She wouldn't stop talking about this musical she saw at the Opera House with a group of friends (I thought I was your only friend, but okay??). She ranted about how it was clever and funny and feminist and it was about the six wives of Henry VIII – but not the story that we’ve heard before, instead it retells that entire period of history and heartbreak and OKAY WOMAN I'LL GO SEE IT.

But before I even had a chance to purchase tickets, it was a woman at work. She almost had tears in her eyes, that's how passionate she was about the extent to which I needed to see this musical. 'You don't understand,' she explained. 'It's pure joy. It's like a pop concert but with these Queens (Henry's former wives), and they each have their own style of music like Adele or Beyoncé but you'll laugh out loud and it's not like anything you've seen before.'

Fine.

I guess I'll... oh.

Goodness. 

Why had everyone undersold what is clearly one of the defining musicals of our time? 

Let me explain. 

SIX is told by the Queens of Henry VIII, who want to decide – once and for all – who had the very worst time in their marriage. The winner (or, the loser?), will be crowned the leading lady of their pop group.  

The structure is simple – each woman has her chance to make her case, in a distinctive, solo song. 

There's Catherine of Aragon, the one who got dumped for a younger woman and moved to the nunnery (we've all been there). 

Anne Boleyn, or as most of us know her, the sassy one who gets her head cut off. 

Jane Seymour, the one who seemed to actually love Henry.

Anna of Cleves, the one who wasn't 'quite as hot' as her portrait (same). 

Katherine Howard, who describes herself as the '10 amongst these 3s'.

And finally, Catherine Parr, who tragically actually loved someone else. 

Each Queen performs a pop song that on its own could top the charts, telling their story and ultimately taking the show to a place the audience won't see coming. 

A terrible photo taken at the show by yours truly. Image: Supplied. 

SIX is genuinely... hilarious. Boleyn wants everyone to feel sorry for her because of the whole beheading thing, Cleves ends up with a whole lot of money from her divorce (and precisely no one feels sorry for her. Damn, we LOVE her), and the women are able to make fun of each other (and history in general) in a way that's endearing and fresh. 

The show is made all the more impressive when you learn the story of its creators. 

Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow were in their early 20s and studying at Cambridge in 2017 when they wrote SIX. It was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and now, within just a few years, it's made its way to stages all over the world.  

Moss and Marlow originally wrote the musical to be performed by their friends, who they felt didn't have opportunities to show how funny and talented they were. Musicals, they thought, simply didn't have those types of complex parts for women. Their goal was to write something their friends wouldn't be 'embarrassed' to perform in, but in the process, they created a piece of art that's fundamentally different to what we're used to seeing on stage.  

Interestingly, the creators say the parts they've created are malleable, and are interpreted in new ways every time the show is performed. With new cast members come new versions and dynamics, with many fans seeing the show over and over again. 

SIX is gritty and authentic, and all over the world, audiences continue to see themselves reflected in these Queens. 

The cast of SIX The Musical Australia. From left to right: Phoenix Jackson Mendoza as Catherine of Aragon, Kala Gare as Anne Boleyn, Loren Hunter as Jane Seymour, Kiana Daniele as Anna of Cleves, Chelsea Dawson as Katherine Howard, and Vidya Makan as Catherine Parr. Image: James D. Morgan/Getty Images. 

It's also not your traditional musical. This is a show focused on pop music, reminiscent of the biggest female artists of our time. 

Each Queen's solo takes inspiration from familiar names, and you'll be able to identify them. 

Catherine of Aragon is the Beyoncé of the group, whereas Anne Boleyn is like Lily Allen or Avril Lavigne. Jane Seymour sounds like a mixture of Adele and Sia, whereas Anna of Cleves is Rihanna or Nicki Minaj. Katherine Howard sounds like Ariana Grande or Britney Spears, and Catherine Parr is like Alicia Keys. It means the music is instantly familiar, but also the stuff of pop music genius. 

The costumes, too, take inspiration from these artists. 

Now, finally, SIX is returning to Australia, with a stellar cast and a national tour.

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Kicking off, SIX lands at the Sydney Opera House in November before launching into a tour in the new year, visiting Canberra, Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane. So if you want to be one of the first people to see the show and get priority tickets, sign up for the waitlist. 

There are some Queens fans will recognise and some new faces stepping into their roles for the first time.

So let me be the one to give you the gift the women in my life gave me: go and see SIX The Musical with everyone you know.

You'll leave feeling like you've just witnessed the greatest pop concert of all time, because you well and truly have.

From Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a 75-minute celebration of 21st century girl power. These Queens may have green sleeves but their lipstick is rebellious red. 

To get your Sydney tickets, check out the website. For tickets in other cities, join the  waitlist.

Feature Image: Original Australian 2020 Cast by James D. Morgan / Getty Images