★★★★☆
Sitting in the audience, bathed in flashing strobe lights and surrounded by an electric crowd screaming like we were at a stadium concert, I felt like part of a revolution.
Written by Cambridge University students Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, SIX the musical made its humble debut at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, performed by student actors. Word of mouth turned the 75-minute pop phenomenon into an international juggernaut, eventually opening on Broadway in 2021 and going on to win two 2022 Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Costume Design.
Australia first lost its head over the show during its wildly successful pre-pandemic premiere, and this sparkling new 2026 Australian tour reminds us exactly why these Tudor queens continue to reign supreme across the globe.
The show sees the six wives of Henry VIII band together to form a pop supergroup. However, they’re competing against each other to see who suffered the most at the hands of their infamous mutual ex-husband in order to be the group’s true lead singer.
Through a series of solo showstoppers inspired by modern pop icons – ranging from Beyoncé and Ariana Grande to Nicki Minaj and Adele – the queens never waste a single second on stage. This production has an unstoppable, relentless momentum, so much so that I left the auditorium floating on an endorphin high, still beaming from the show’s unapologetic message of reclaiming one’s narrative.
The opening night crowd at the Theatre Royal was an absolute blast in its own right. The auditorium was packed with dedicated fans, many sporting bedazzled crowns, velvet corsets, and neon Tudor outfits. The energy was raucous, with even mid-song ovations erupting after some of the solos.
Under the sharp Australian directorial vision of Sharon Millerchip, this brand-new cast brings incredible technical polish, fresh individual character quirks, and undeniable chemistry to the stage.
Sarah Murr sets the bar extraordinarily high right out of the gate as Catherine of Aragon, bringing formidable regality to No Way. Mia Paris Scalise is an absolute scene-stealer as Anne Boleyn, delivering Don’t Lose Ur Head with a brilliant blend of bratty, cheekily self-aware pop-punk energy.
As Jane Seymour, Cara Bessey slows down the pulse of the theatre with her soaring rendition of Heart of Stone. Kadesa Honeyhill turns up the swagger as Anna of Cleves, commanding the room to Get Down.
Angela Brischetto injects tragic complexity into Katherine Howard, seamlessly transitioning All You Wanna Do from a bubblegum pop banger into a heartbreaking exploration of exploitation. And Lorinda May Merrypor anchors the emotional climax as Catherine Parr, singing I Don’t Need Your Love with grounded wisdom.
Associate Choreographer Cristina D’Agostino delivers precise choreography that demands athletic power and syncopated tightness from every queen without ever dropping a beat.
Musical Director Claire Healy, supported by the ferocious, all-female live band, the “Ladies in Waiting,” lays down driving bass lines, crisp drum hits, and tight synth hooks that give the score its authentic pop-concert vibe.
SIX is an exhilarating, cathartic party that reclaims five centuries of history and hands the mic back to the women who lived it. Amongst Sydney theatre, it stands out as an unstoppable, crown-shattering triumph that will leave you feeling like you’re a part of the revolution too.
SIX the Musical runs to 20 December 2026 at the Theatre Royal, Sydney before heading to Brisbane.
Photo credits: James D. Morgan
2026 / 2027 Australian Tour Dates:
Sydney 9 October – 20 December, Theatre Royal Tickets
Brisbane 2 January – 14 February 2027, Playhouse Theatre, QPAC Tickets
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