I feel by now most people who love musical theatre are well versed in the musical SIX. We have loved the show long before it became the unstoppable force of theatrical nature that it now is, so forgive us for being overly biased with this feature. The truth is, here at SOUTH WALES LIFE we love us a bit of SIX.
First of all, let us tell you that the festive treat at Swansea Building Society Arena this year, is none other than that very show. It’ll be here from Friday 18th December right through to Saturday 2nd January 2027. That could be your Christmas pressies sorted already.
We were lucky enough to see the show right at the start of its West-End run – small theatre, great seats and a show like no other. To this day we rave about SIX to anyone who will listen.
Once seen, never forgotten. SIX is like nothing you’ve witnessed on stage before and the fans of the show are like audiences you’ll not see anywhere else. In fact, take a look at the audience reaction from their last visit to Swansea in 2024.
Before we go any further you need to watch the trailer. If I say it’s a modern telling of the SIX wives of Henry the Eighth there’s a fair chance I’ll lose you as quickly as Henry had his wives beheaded. So take a look at the trailer below and you’ll see it’s absolutely nothing like the history lesson any of us had at school. SIX TRAILER
SIX is a British musical through and through. The book, music and lyrics are by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. They say the best ideas happen by accident and it seems this was a very happy one. Toby was studying in his final year at Cambridge University, and despite uncertainties from collaborator Lucy, the pair wrote the musical while studying for their final exams. Seriously, if you’re going to do something as your final Uni piece you may as well go on and turn it into a full-on, live show.
As you can see, the musical is a modern retelling of the lives of Henry’s SIX wives, yes it is a musical, but what makes this so different is that it’s presented as a pop concert. The wives burst onto stage, do a song together first, then take turns singing and telling their story to see who had the worst time with Henry, and ultimately become the group’s lead singer. Spoiler alert – they all had a pretty rubbish time with him.
If you think we currently have an interesting Monarchy, believe us, it’s nothing like the time of the larger-than-life character of King Henry VIII (1509-47). To say he dazzled would be an understatement. He founded a national church, transformed government, built a strong Navy and encouraged a flourishing of the arts. He’s mostly remembered for the extraordinary marital merry-go-round that saw him wed six wives in his quest for a male heir (and ideally a spare) to secure the Tudor dynasty on England’s throne.
If there had been Social Media in Tudor Times, then Henry would have ruled that too.
He had a brief extra-marital affair with Elizabeth “Bessie” Blount, one of Catherine’s ladies-in-waiting. In 1519, Bessie was taken in secret to the Essex countryside where she gave birth to Henry Fitzroy, Henry’s only acknowledged illegitimate child.
As you read the story of Henry and his wives, you really can’t believe what went on, and what one person was capable of doing. The History Channel have a really good, yet brief insight, which you can read HERE. Seriously, forget any of your current gossip magazines, his life is the real deal.
But what of those six wives, almost hidden in Henry’s monstrous shadow and recalled less by name than by their fates, summed up in the well-known rhyme: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived? Far from the puppets implied, each is a fascinating flesh-and-blood figure and each dealt differently with Henry and the challenges they faced. The consequences determined the course of royal history.
Enter SIX-THE MUSICAL
I’m telling you now, it is brilliant, although we nearly didn’t get to see it at all. The team here we’re in London for a charity performance of The Lieutenant of Inishmore with Aidan Turner (Poldark) and with an evening free, we’d heard great things about this new musical SIX. So with no idea what to expect, and knowing very little about it, went to see it at the Arts Theatre (very small venue in Covent Garden).
Johan Perrson’s photographs above feature various cast members. While the show is out on tour now, it’s a long time between now and December, but the current line up is as follows.
- LaSasha Aldredge – Catherine of Aragon
- Yna Montarde – Anne Boleyn
- Emily Dawson – Jane Seymour
- Jodie Knight – Anna of Cleves
- Sammy Timbers – Katherine Howard
- Layla Chivandire – Catherine Parr
and Abi Atchison, Eve Kitchingman, Emilia Paige Jurin and Lucia Valentino.
The all-female band, The Ladies in Waiting:
- Drums – Amanda Dal
- Musical Directory / Keys – Rosabella Gregory
- Guitar – Rosie Botterill
- Bass – Jess Williams
Back to the show, which is non-stop from start to finish. The cast are funny, with incredible voices and the band (all female) make the most amazing sound. We didn’t know any of the songs but in the tradition of great musicals, that didn’t matter. Each of them was instantly catchy and told, what is a very dark story, perfectly. Surprisingly, and this is by no way a criticism, the show/gig was just over an hour long. The girls entered, sang and conquered. Job done.
Those of us who have seen SIX have raved about it to anyone who shows an interest. We were at the Olivier Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in the year SIX was nominated – five times in fact, including Best New Musical. The Wives also performed on the evening.
I can tell you the audience went crazy when Jason Manford introduced the girls and again after their performance. In fact, have a look for yourself – HERE.
Last November something very special happened in London. For the first time ever we got to see the Japanese ‘Queens’ on stage in the West End for a very short run.
See more HERE.
You can make up your own mind when SIX comes South Wales. Whether you’re seeing it for the first or sixth time, we guarantee you’ll have a corset busting evening.
These Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a 80-minute celebration of sassy sisterhood. It returns to the Swansea Building Society Arena from Friday 18th December right through to Saturday 2nd January 2027, which is pretty much two years since it was last in the city.
General sale isn’t open yet but if you’re a member that’s about to anytime soon. These tickets will fly. For more details go HERE.
Seriously, do yourself a favour and see it. This is one history lesson you won’t regret.
SIX is now a worldwide phenomenon selling out in the West End, where it has a never-ending residency.
