Cinemas across the UK and Ireland from 6th April 2025
Reviewed by Emily Smith
5*****
SIX The Musical, written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, has become a global sensation since its first performance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017 and its subsequent West End debut in 2019. Now, for the first time, a filmed version of the production featuring the original West End cast is available in cinemas across the UK. Recorded in 2022 at the Vaudeville Theatre (London), the new film version makes the hugely popular show accessible to even more audiences.
The original West End cast are reunited for this production, with Jarnéia Richard-Noel as Catherine of Aragon, Millie O’Connell as Anne Boleyn, Natalie Paris as Jane Seymour, Alexia McIntosh as Anne of Cleves, Aimie Atkinson as Katherine Howard and Maiya Quansah-Breed as Catherine Parr. The chemistry between the queens is clear from the start, and they all deliver brilliant performances in their respective roles, complete with flawless vocals and energetic choreography! Natalie Paris’s stand-out performance of Heart of Stone delivers both emotion and power, while Aimie Atkinson’s rendition of All You Wanna Do takes the audience on a journey from fun to sombre, a testament to her acting skills.
Given that SIX The Musical is a concert, it is near impossible to compare the live stage show to a filmed production; being in the theatre and witnessing the performances live is incomparable. That being said, the film, directed by Liz Clare, captures the heart of the show and the incredible performances of the queens and the live band in their full glory. The professional recording provides new insights and close-up angles that you don’t necessarily see during the live show, adding an appreciation to the incredible costumes and finer details of the queens’ performances. The only thing I question is the choice to switch from the professional filming to an in-audience angle when Catherine Parr is delivering her speech. While it provides a sense of reality of what being in the audience in the show is like, the filmed version, which has felt very professional up to this point, loses it’s shine.
SIX The Musical LIVE! is definitely worth a watch, whether you’re already a fan of the stage show or haven’t yet had the opportunity to see it live in the West End or on tour. You’ll walk away singing the songs and perhaps having learnt a little more about Henry VIII’s six wives and their reclaimed her-story.