The smash-hit musical SIX has returned to The Lowry and has taken the city by storm once again. The venue has already added extra dates which has extended its run until January 11.
SIX re-writes history and the wives of Henry VIII finally tell their own stories of life with the ferocious king.
Sassy, classy and absolutely hilarious, the queens exceeded all expectations with their phenomenal performances.
Whether they were singing as a sextet or individual solos, each one shone with their own personality.
The lively music had the crowd singing, dancing and up on their feet in no time.
Catherine of Aragon, played by the amazing Lauren Drew, (Heathers, Kinky Boots) stole the show.
Her hysterical facial expressions and sensational singing voice made her stand out in the crowd. She had the most command on the stage – just as the first queen should.
The second wife, even though she overlapped the first, is Anne Boleyn played by the fabulous Maddison Bullyment (The Bridges of Madison County, Company).
Her cheek and dry humour made the crowd roar with laughter. The relationship between her and Aragon was played up to the max which made it very entertaining to watch.
The third, and one he truly loved, is Jane Seymour played by Lauren Byrne (Into the Woods, Our House). A contrast to the others, Seymour brought sweetness and serenity into the show which added an extra layer of emotion.
Even though it would have been easy for her to fade into the background, she held her own and enjoyed her share of the limelight.
The fourth and fifth wives, Anna of Cleves and Katherine Howard embodied the very essence of female spirit. Cleves showed self-love in her upbeat solo whilst Howard vocalized the importance of female independence and sexuality. Shekinah McFarlane (Little Shop of Horrors, Sweet Charity) and Jodie Steele (Wicked, The War of the Worlds) played the fierce queens perfectly.
Finally, the one who survived. Catherine Parr is usually played by Athena Collins (Bad Girls, Bare- a Pop Opera) but Harriet Watson (Early Birds, Closer Than Ever) took the stage instead and she excelled.
As one of the original feminists, who published books under her own name and fought for female education, she is still fighting; now she’s live in concert.
All six queens were astonishing and earned the well deserved standing ovation at the end of performance.
The band, more fondly known as the ladies in waiting, joined the queens on stage and definitely deserved it too.
The music is clever, thought provoking and fantastic and it wouldn’t be possible without those ladies.
Not only did the show sound amazing, it looked it too. The costumes were outstanding and the set, which was a traditional Tudor church with a modern twist, really complimented the scenes.
The use of Tinder when Henry chooses Anne Cleves was a particular favourite for the crowd.
The musical is uplifting, feel-good and full of feminist flair. It truly is a must-see for all ages and is a spectacular modern showing of British history and theatre at its finest.
For best availability check out the extra week at the Lowry.
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