Six (23/24 Tour Cast) at the Birmingham Hippodrome

Incredibly enjoyable show! This was my 15th time seeing the show so I clearly cannot recommend it enough. It is a feel-good show that always brings a smile to my face, with royally fabulous vocals and choreography this is a must-see!

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

My Review:

This was not my first time seeing the 23/24 tour cast and they always blow me away but this was definitely a memorable show as they seemed to be having so much fun on the stage and that is one of the parts of Six that truly brings a smile to my face as for me it promotes sheer joy and empowerment.

Nicole-Louise Lewis is fairly local to me so hearing her use an accent similar to mine is always amazing to see and brings me joy whenever I get to see her perform as Catherine of Aragon. Her No Way is laced with sass further supported by her amazing vocals leading to a thoroughly enjoyable performance that I always look forward to hearing. Alongside this, her other moments in the show continue this characterisation, especially during the competition moments between the songs, and these interactions between herself and the other queens are such a fun part of the show that all cast members put their own unique spin on. Laura Dawn-Pyatt plays the fun and slightly flirty Anne Boleyn with such a brilliant characterisation, especially during Don't Lose Your Head with captivating vocals and on-point comedic timing resulting in a humorous song. The unique spin that each actor can put on each Queen is another love of mine concerning this show, as I always say that you will never see the same show twice as every performer is unique. However, the talent of the Six Queens means that no two shows are the same even if it is the same cast due to the subtle changes in every performance. It has been amazing to watch all of the cast grow into their roles and this was particularly noticeable for me during Laura Dawn-Pyatt's performance of Don't Lose Your Head as I felt like I was seeing another completely new interpretation of Anne Boleyn since seeing the show in January. Erin Caldwell showcases beautifully powerful vocals as Jane Seymour and every time I have seen her perform her Heart of Stone has never failed to blow me away, especially during the final riffs which are simply incredible. I saw an alternate this time for Anna of Cleves as in my previous shows with this cast, I saw Kenedy Small, however, at this performance I saw Ellie-Jane Grant. Both of these performers have been amazing to see perform and put their own spins on the character. Kenedy Small plays a more strong-willed and independent Anna of Cleves whereas Ellie-Jane Grant plays her more upbeat and just happy about her life. These individual interpretations create a uniqueness of the character based on who is performing, but in both cases have been accompanied by an immense stage presence and fabulous vocals. Also, I will forever love how an audience member not standing up is dealt with during Get Down as Ellie-Jane Grant handled this brilliantly and her delivery definitely added to this already comedic line. Seeing Lou Henry as Katherine Howard always leaves me speechless as the emotion that she brings to the role perfectly grows and manifests during All You Wanna Do until the climax of the song, leaving the audience stunned to silence by the delivery and talent of what they have just watched. I was fortunate to see Izi Maxwell in this role in Southend and she once again wowed me with fabulous vocals however her stark contrast was definitely more noticeable from during All You Wann Do to other moments of the show and these two interpretations have allowed me to differently experience this life of Kathrine Howard but no matter who plays this Queen their always smash All You Wanna Do using the song to build emotion and show an increase of fear and upset until the end which is what I feel truly contributes to the power of this song and the effect that it has on the audience. During this performance, I saw Tamara Morgan as Catherine Parr, however, I previously have seen Aoife Haakenson in the role. Tamara Morgan for me portrays a slightly more controlled and considered Catherine Parr which highlights her life and what she fought for, however with that being said I have also enjoyed seeing Aoife Haakenson's portrayal of a more assured Catherine Parr as both of these unique characterisations show different sides to the role that I would not have thought of before and as is always the case with the casting of Six they both showcase next level vocals during I Don't Need Your Love and I Don't Need Your Love (Reprise) with their character bringing the Queens together to the meaning of the show which is not to compare people and this meaning of the show is yet another reason that Six is so near and dear to me.

If you can catch this tour cast whilst they continue to tour the UK, I cannot urge you enough to go as you will have an amazing time and will leave feeling inspired and empowered.

Content Warnings:

Six does not have any content warnings as this show does not tend to trigger people, so this section will be fairly short. Instead, I will mention the moments that I noted whilst watching the show that I felt may prove upsetting to some people:

The queens use miscarriages as a way to compete with each other
All You Wanna Do verbally and visually (through dance and movements) shows the sexual abuse that Katherine Howard experienced throughout her life
The show has obvious and less obvious sexual innuendos throughout

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)

- AnxiousTheatregoer