Telling the story of Henry VIII’s six wives, “Six” hits the big screens with a live recording of the show filmed in 2022. Bringing back the original cast, this theatrical event not only allows the show to reach new audiences, but also celebrates the history of the show and its creators. To say that “Six” is a global phenomenon would be an understatement – this musical, which functions as a one-act concert more than what one would traditionally expect from a musical, is adored by fans across the globe, of all ages and genders. But just how well does this concept work on the big screen?
The film begins with a behind-the-scenes look at the show, with clips of creators Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss writing the show whilst still at university, before taking the show to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017. The six actresses give exclusive interviews where they discuss how “Six” became a hit straight away, attracting Fringe audiences from around the world, and quickly transferring to the West End a year and a half later. There is also some room for heartfelt discussions around the actresses’ relationships, and the “Queendom” – the army of fans that follow “Six”. Snippets from a concert at the Tower of London show just how big the musical grew, with fans joining in the lyrics and the dances, before discussion turns to the reunion of the original cast in 2022.
Reuniting the original West End cast is a big deal for fans, who may feel a closer connection to these actresses who not only originated the roles, but also feature on the official album. The cast do not disappoint and are on top form here. As Catherine of Aragon, Jarnéia Richard-Noel takes on the older-sister role among the queens, leading the way with her rendition of “No Way”, which sees her discuss Henry’s attempts to force her into a nunnery after failing to give him a male heir. Millie O’Connell leans heavily into the comedic aspects of Anne Boleyn’s “Don’t Lose Ur Head” – a lot of this track is spoken to the tune rather than sung (which may be jarring for fans of the soundtrack), but this helps O’Connell form a connection with the audience, and leaves space for the lyrics to properly land.
Natalie Paris as Jane Seymour brings the emotional weight of the play, with a stunning rendition of ballad “Heart of Stone”, which is enough to leave an audience speechless, even in a cinema. Meanwhile, Alexia McIntosh is clearly having the time of her life as Anne of Cleves, enjoying multiple cheeky asides to the audience throughout, culminating in a show-stopping performance of “Get Down”, which not only allows her to display impressive vocals, but incredible dance moves as well. In fact, the choreography throughout is flawless, all six of the actresses clearly putting their all into this special reunion performance.
Catherine Howard’s number “All You Wanna Do” begins as another upbeat, pop track, but Aimee Atkinson turns this into something much more horrifying and dark, as Howard finds herself being used and quickly discarded by various men, before having her life tragically cut short. The way the tempo builds makes the song feel claustrophobic and tense, another excellent demonstration of the skills of creators Marlow and Moss. Last, but by no means least, Maiya Quansah-Breed’s Catherine Parr brings us full circle, with her number “I don’t need your love” quickly reprised by the other queens as they realise that they are more than just Henry’s ex-wives.
Seeing the musical on the big screen allows viewers to pick up details that they may have missed from live performances. I noticed, for the first time, that each of the queens have earrings decorated with their respective Roman numerals. The film also helps to highlight the symbolic choreography – particularly in “Don’t Lose Ur Head”, I spotted that the dance moves were telling Boleyn’s story as much as the lyrics. Moments of the film also draw focus to the impressive four-piece band that provide all the music for the show, allowing for better appreciation of the full-scale of talent on the stage. One moment in the film cuts to mobile phone footage as Parr suddenly halts the concert – an interesting twist, although one that I felt distracted a little too much from the smoothness of the rest of the production, and felt a tad unnecessary.
Watching a musical in a cinema can sometimes feel like an odd experience – songs are not applauded in the way that they would be in a theatre, leading to some pauses that can feel awkward and stall the story. This is not the case here – in fact, the audience in our cinema were cheering and applauding at the end along with the audience on the screen. As I stated at the start of this review, “Six” is truly a phenomenon, and with this recording, it can only grow ever bigger. This only problem with seeing this film – it will make you want to go home and book tickets to see it performed live (again).
Tom Morley, April 2025
Review round-up:
WhatsOnStage: Six in cinemas review The film receives a four star review from WhatsOnStage, who call this “a poised and unruffled tribute to one of the best British musical tributes of the century.”
Elemental Theatre: Cinema Screenings of Theatre Shows: Enhancing Accessibility or Diminishing the Experience? ETC take a different approach with their review, discussing the merits of cinema screenings, and stating that “cinema screenings shouldn’t be treated as replacements—they should be access points. For the superfans, they’re a love letter.”
AllThatDazzles: Film Review: SIX the Musical Live! ATD give a glowing 5-star review for the show, saying “It is the chemistry and camaraderie that elevates the six Queens to something magical.”
West End Best Friend: Review: SIX THE MUSICAL LIVE!, Universal Pictures Finally, West End Best Friend go one further than 5 stars, summing up the film with the line “Her-story hits the screen with sparkle, sass and six-star power!“
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