SIX at the Sydney Opera House: smart and funny, it feels like the future

SIX is a tornado, a glitter bomb, a fabulous pop concert and an exhilarating her-story lesson of astonishing confidence.

Kala Gare as Anne Boleyn in SIX. Picture: James D. Morgan.

It’s a hit. A palpable hit. SIX — which, by the way, earns every bit of its capital-letter swagger — is a tornado, a glitter bomb, a fabulous pop concert and an exhilarating her-story lesson of astonishing confidence, given the youth of its creators.

Well, in truth SIX would be astonishing from a team twice or thrice the age and experience of Brits Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, who are brainiacs, obviously, but still only in their mid-20s. Moss also co-directed with Jamie Armitage.

Marlow and Moss ask us to reassess the lives of Henry VIII’s six wives through a contemporary lens and via the medium of a singing contest. Whose life was worst, they ask. Let the fun begin, lol. Each woman’s number sets out her case and pays tribute to female pop titans of today including, of course, Queen Bey herself. The writing is loving, knowing and exceptionally witty, especially in the wildcard song cleverly inserted halfway, a quite mad send-up of German techno titled Haus of Holbein.

Is it unfair to single out one of the six queens? Perhaps not, given the contest setting. Kiana Daniele’s barnstorming, droll Anna of Cleves comes up trumps with her gleeful account of luxury exile, head still on her shoulders, after Henry decided she was too plain for his taste.

But if Daniele wins it’s only by a short head, if you will forgive the expression. Kala Gare as Anne Boleyn and Courtney Monsma as Katherine Howard, both of whom died on the executioner’s block, are riveting in their different expressions of young female desire.

Chloe Zuel gives Catherine of Aragon fire and resolve not usually associated with Henry’s first wife and Loren Hunter glows as Jane Seymour, the one who died of natural causes (so clearly she’s not going to win, eh?).

Vidya Makan draws the dramatic short straw as survivor Catherine Parr. She is tasked with selling SIX’s message of female empowerment, over-explanatory given the show to this point has been about taking charge of the story. It’s SIX’s only misstep.

Makan sings lustrously though, as do all the women in their individual ways and in Australian accents to boot. What a joy, as is the all-female onstage four-piece band with music director Claire Healy on keys. The contribution from women continues backstage with Carrie-Anne Ingrouille’s indefatigable choreography and glam costumes from Gabriella Slade that could kickstart a Tudor fashion revival.

It’s all over in what feels like the blink of an eye, which is not always what 75 minutes feels like. SIX is vivid and nimble. It’s smart and funny. It feels like the future.

Until March 5. Melbourne, from April 23, Adelaide from June 11