I visited New York City in July 2022 and had the chance catch three shows on Broadway – A Strange Loop, which has just won the Tony Award for best musical, The Music Man, a revival to showcase the talents of Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, and MJ the Musical, a work celebrating Michael Jackson with a stellar lead turn from Myles Frost.  There was one show I wanted to see but ran out of time.  Created in the UK in 2017, Six finally made it official debut in New York four years later and, thanks to its healthy box-office, it’s still showing there today.

A movie version will never be as good as a live stage show but I’m glad to have finally engaged with the material through this film.  It’s not an adaptation but rather, director Liz Clare, has used an array of cameras to film a performance of the musical which took place at the Vaudeville Theatre in London in June 2022.  You couldn’t ask for a more experienced cast.  The women who dazzled audiences with the show’s debut on West End are the same women you’ll see on screen.

Clocking in at a relatively short 90 minutes, Six: The Musical Live! concerns itself with the wives of King Henry VIII who were married to him for various periods between his coronation in 1509 through to his death in 1547.  The opening song introduces us to the six women, and we get a brief glimpse of their personality and their fate.  For example, two were brutally beheaded.  From there, each gets their moment in the spotlight with a unique song delving into their time with the King of England.

It’s hard to separate the show from the movie in creating this review.  As a newbie to the material, I found it to be a simple, entertaining romp with a charismatic cast.  I’d probably say the same thing if watching it live in West End or on Broadway.  It’s not emotional and I don’t think the songs are hugely memorable (maybe I need to see it again) but it’s a cool way of providing a history lesson while also reflecting on Henry VIII’s legacy.  It’s like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton except with a lighter tone and a less complex premise.

Giving my energy levels a much-needed jolt, Six: The Musical Live! was good fun!