Six, Swansea Arena
18.10.22
‘Six’ made its Swansea debut on the 18th October, bringing
a balanced mix of
shocking history, catchy pop tunes, and lots of glitter to the newly
established Swansea arena. As the first musical to be performed at
the arena, ‘Six’ created an exciting new side to the venue
as it predominantly showcased musical artists and comedians prior
to this. The introduction of ‘Six’ into Swansea is proving
to be successful and has expanded the potential of the arena to hold
future productions.
The musical takes a spin on the widely known history of King Henry
VIII’s six wives, turning it into a hybrid of the 16th and 21st
centuries through its clever combination of music, costume, and language
from both eras. The infamous story of Henry’s six wives has been
adapted into the style of a contemporary pop concert filled with vocally
impressive upbeat songs and the occasional powerful ballad. Each queen
takes it in turn to share their story in the form of a song with the
intention of proving that they had suffered the most from the actions
of Henry VIII. It is apparent at the beginning that the queens are
pitted against each other, throwing frequent insults between each
number and adopting a very individualistic approach to share the brutality
of Henry VIII. They intend to compete against each other to ‘win’
and get the most sympathy from the audience. As the one act musical
progresses, however, the queens gain a mutual realisation that arguing
against each other causes more harm than good, especially as they
were all subject to mistreatment from the same source. As the musical
came to a close, there was a clear message that they are a stronger
force together.
The message of female empowerment that is emphasised
throughout the musical is enforced by the all-female cast and band,
something that the audience clearly appreciated. The continuous cheers
from the audience echoed throughout the 90 minutes, filling every
corner of the arena. The contrast between the powerful and soft vocal
styles of the six queens complimented each other, creating a well-rounded
and impactful performance. The use of animated choreography and movement
is implemented in a skillful way, captivating the audience at times
of importance whilst also allowing moments of comedy to flourish and
break any tension. In addition to this, the witty one-liners containing
well thought out word play and the inclusion of factual dialogue not
only added a comedic aspect to a tragic story but also enhanced the
idea that these six women were more than just the victims of Henry
VIII but also real people with lives outside of their respective marriages.
Through this reimagining of the story of the six wives of Henry VIII,
a new perspective has been created to show that there is a likeness
between the problems women faced in the 16th century to those of the
present day and brings attention to the fact that these problems are
yet to be solved.
The addition of ‘Six’ to the arena has amplified the musically
rich atmosphere that Swansea already obtains in a new and exciting
way. For a night of fun music, vibrant colours, laughter, and an overall
spectacle, attendance of this musical is a must and the best next
step for you. Be prepared to leave the arena with the catchy songs
replaying in your head and an unremovable smile.
Priya Chapman
More info on Six here
Thanks to Joe at Swansea Music Hub
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