Theatre has always been a source of innovation. It makes us laugh. It makes us think. And now, it makes us want to get up and dance. The West End production of SIX is definitely a musical which does all three.

SIX explores the wives of Henry VIII and their individual stories (which are usually ignored) – the heartbreaks, the falling in love and, of course the beheadings. Each Queen performs their own song, competing for top-spot as lead singer in their band, and naturally, this is based on who had the worst life…

The wives hardly ever get discussed – they are labelled as ‘divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived’, whether that is in the history books or in schools and uniquely, we get to hear their own stories, whilst having a well-needed lesson on (what the Queens like to call) ‘her-story’.

But what do we exactly learn from each Queen? Here are some facts you may not have known before…

Catherine of Aragon

Aragon had to put up with Henry for the longest. They were married for almost 24 years, after first coming to England at a young age and not knowing any English at all… must have been awkward. She went through heartbreak again and again – her betrothed dying and being lumped with his brother (which is just the start.) She suffered several miscarriages, and was mother to Mary – who much to the chagrin of Henry, wasn’t a male heir. The show highlights her devotion to the Catholic faith and eventual fight against the divorce Henry proposes to her. A definite Queen with power, sophistication and easily gains respect from the audience.

Anne Boleyn 

The rebel of the bunch, who constantly cracks jokes and likes to remind the others of her beheading. She was Henry’s mistress whilst he was married to Aragon – he even moved her into the palace at one point. I think it’s safe to say that both her and Henry shared a mutual passion for having affairs… which lead to her eventual demise. She was the mother of Elizabeth, but like Aragon, Henry doesn’t care for his daughter and mother of his child –  especially when he decides to chop off her head.

Jane Seymour

Jane Seymour… ‘the only one he truly loved’ apparently, wasn’t around long enough to have a destructive relationship. She died way too early. And of course, Henry loved her because she had baby Edward. It may seem all dandy for Jane, but she has the most moving storyline within the show – she sings about her heartbreak and having to have a ‘heart of stone’ around Henry. Jane Seymour’s short life and inability to raise her son, definitely leaves the audience sympathising with her, most of all.

Anna of Cleves

Anna of Cleves, the loudest, the most independent, and the most fun of them all. Instead of marrying her sister, Henry married this Cleves sister. Having seen her portrait, crafted by the renowned painter, Hans Holbein, Henry decided she would be wife number four… until he actually saw her in real life. Her supposed ugliness is why they weren’t the perfect match… although for her with the security of a palace and a generous settlement after an annulment, Anna was left pretty well off (not bad compared to his other wives). She lived in London for the rest of her life… without being beheaded… successful, right?

Katherine Howard

Katherine Howard, also known as Queen of the hair flick. From a young age, K Howard is as promiscuous as can be, whether that is with her music teacher, a coachman or the King of England. Because of her promiscuity within marriage, she is beheaded… which is rather ironic given Henry’s constant infidelity. By the end of Howard’s song though, we understand that the only thing she has ever known is how to be a target of male desire, and how she thought that she would be treated better when it came to a relationship with the King of England… sadly, she was very, very wrong. 

Catherine Parr

Catherine Parr, the one who survived. Parr had already been through a couple of marriages and was made to give up her true love for the King of England – looking after him and his family in the process. Perhaps, the most uplifting of the Queens, she doesn’t want to be tied down to King Henry VIII, she wants a kind of independence and be free from the umbrella term of being a wife… rather rebellious given Tudor expectations. 

What I enjoyed most about this musical was the message of female empowerment – all these women who have been through horror, rise from the ashes and come together to make a change. The writers, Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss have written something which highlights the importance of exploring women in history and women being independent from men and patriarchal structures. The music, provided by the ‘Ladies in Waiting’, the dancing, the lighting, and staging give you such a unique experience. The show is an intimate affair alone, based at the Arts Theatre near Leicester Square tube station – a small venue, but it allows you to see everything that is going on. The audience and performers definitely appreciate this intimacy – at the end of the show, the Queens perform the ‘MegaSIX’, allowing the audience to film and take pictures of the song which again brings everyone together for one final uplifting moment.

Since the inauguration of SIX at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017, the musical has traveled all over the world. Including, a UK tour, an Australian tour, a tour on the Norwegian Bliss cruise, and very recently has made its debut on Broadway. This musical speaks to everybody and the surging popularity means it can spread a universal message of empowerment worldwide.

For more information about tickets, the birth of this musical, please visit the SIX website, here.