International smash hit musical Six has returned to the Lowry theatre in Salford, telling the tale of Henry VIII’s notorious marital history… through pop songs.
First performed by Cambridge University students at the Edinburgh Fringe festival in 2017, Six has since ruled the theatre scene with its chart-topping soundtrack and powerful female cast.
West End productions and Broadway shows have garnered rave reviews and Six has been nominated for multiple awards at the Laurence Olivier Awards.
Postponed twice already, the return of the six Queens was long awaited. Queues for the Six merchandise at the Lowry outdid the queue for food twice over.
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Groups were singing the songs in the foyer, snapping their fingers and grooving their hips, hyping themselves up to finally see it live. The Six album has reached over 10 million views on YouTube.
The Queens begin on stage with the chilling ‘Ex-wives’, introducing themselves explaining how they are more than ‘just one word in a stupid rhyme’.
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Each take centre stage in turns to prove they were the the worst-treated of Henry’s wives, with clever lyrics laying bare Henry’s blatant mistreatment of women and how he got away with it.
It’s historically accurate, but this time it’s herstory – Six is a re-writing of the history books and takes the crown as this year’s musical must-see.
Writers Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss – masters of comedy – fill the hour and twenty minutes with laughs, catchy lyrics and some home truths about female victimhood and empowerment.
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Each wife takes to the stage in a hip-hop, rap, techno, soul, rock battle, fighting for the crown of the worst treated by Henry VIII.
Credit: Johan Persson. (Caitlin Tipping as Jane Seymour, Vicki Manser as Katherine Howard, Lauren Drew as Catherin of Aragon, Maddison Bulleyment as Anne Boleyn, Shekinah McFarlane as Anna of Cleves & Elena Gyasi as Catherine Parr.)
The queens really do sparkle. Gabrielle Slade kills it with her modern glittery take on 18th century dress.
The costumes here are made up of corsets, puffed sleeves, skin-tight trousers, short petit-coats and delicate hair crowns, all topped off with cute heels and biker boots.
All the anthems are girl power to the max. Spice Girls meets Beyonce meets Avril Lavigne meets Little Mix with a Tudor twist.
The performances are slick and flawless. The cast of all-female power icons are set to become musical-theatre giants after Six.
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Credit: Johan Persson.
The stars are supported by their ‘Ladies in Waiting’ who are instrumental (excuse the pun) to the performance. Usually, the band sit in the pit of the theatre, but these rock-stars are front and centre jamming on the electric keyboard, drums, bass and guitar.
The performances are wonderfully overwhelming, chills are guaranteed, and tears will well with the uplift of female empowerment.
The crowd at The Lowry become a sea of beaming faces and pumping fists, with a standing ovation and cheers of ‘encore’ echoing long after the music dies.
The play spins GCSE history into a much more entertaining experience, filled with glittery corsets and banging break-up anthems.
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Teach your children the right version of history and go and watch Six – we cannot wait to see it again.
Six sexy ex-wives give you their take on the infamous stories that have defined them for centuries, and Henry VIII gets what he’s had coming for him… a revenge musical.
It’s on it’s 2021 tour – so grab your tickets online here.
Theatre
Smash-hit musical Kinky Boots starring Strictly’s Johannes Radebe is coming to Manchester next year
Emily Sergeant
Smash-hit musical Kinky Boots is heading out on a tour of the UK next year, and the talented cast will be stopping off here in Manchester.
The Broadway and West End phenomenon, which is based on a true story and is an adaptation of a 2005 film of the same name, has become known and loved by musical theatre fans all across the globe since its stage debut back in 2012, and has scooped up several Tonys, Olivier Awards, and GRAMMYs along the way.
And now, it’s set for a revival starring Strictly Come Dancing‘s Johannes Radebe, and the production will be touring the UK and Ireland from January 2025.
Kinky Boots The Musical features a score by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein, and this new production will be directed by Artistic Director, Nikolai Foster – who has famously helmed productions of The Wizard of Oz and Billy Elliot, to name a few – as well as starring the fan-favourite Strictly pro as Lola, alongside and rising star Dan Partridge as Charlie Price.
Smash-hit musical Kinky Boots starring Strictly’s Johannes Radebe is coming to Manchester / Credit: Ollies Rosser (via Supplied)
In case you’re unfamiliar with the Kinky Boots story, here’s brief rundown.
After inheriting his family’s failing shoe factory and with a relationship on the rocks, life is proving to be very challenging for Charlie Price, but that is until he meets Lola – a drag queen whose “sparkle and unsteady heels” might just hold the answer to saving the struggling business.
The 2025 revival production is already being billed as “guaranteed to raise you up” and “celebrate everybody’s individuality” when it arrives here in Manchester next February.
👢 On sale to ATG+ members 👢
Kinky Boots The Musical, is strutting back to Manchester in a new production starring Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe and rising star Dan Partridge.
“Kinky Boots is one of the things I’m proudest of in my career,” commented Cyndi Lauper, on the musicals return to the road across the UK.
“I’m so excited that audiences will get to see it again, in a new production, as it’s like a happy pill, and we could all use some of that right now, so I can’t think of a better time or place to relaunch this special show in its place of origin.”
Kinky Boots The Musical will be taking to the iconic Manchester Palace Theatre stage from 4-8 February 2025, and tickets are set general
You can grab your tickets when they go on sale here.
Featured Image – Ollie Rosser (via Supplied)
Theatre
Award-winning classic musical Mary Poppins is returning to Manchester next year
Emily Sergeant
One of the best-loved musicals of all time is set to return to the stage in Manchester on its UK tour next year.
Two decades after the world premiere in Bristol, and subsequent record-breaking run of productions around the world ever since, it’s now been announced that Mary Poppins is set to fly back to Manchester next April.
Direct from the West End and stopping off in our city as part of a UK-wide tour, the classic multi award-winning musical will be landing on stage at the iconic Palace Theatre from 9 April – 17 May 2025.
Australian stars, Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers, are both set to reprise their roles as Mary Poppins and Bert in the 2024/25 UK and Ireland tour, after having both received critical acclaim and nightly standing ovations for their performances in the recent Australian production.
Someone magical is RETURNING… ✨
Direct from the West End, #MaryPoppinsMusical will embark on 2024/2025 UK & Ireland Tour. ☂️
— Palace & Opera Mcr (@PalaceAndOpera) March 7, 2024
This award-winning West End musical comes from the legendary theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh, and the Disney Theatrical Group.
In case you’re somehow unfamiliar with Mary Poppins, this production is based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film, and tells the beloved story of the world’s favourite nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane.
The show is set to be “more magical than ever before”, and will feature dazzling choreography, incredible effects, and all the unforgettable songs we know and love.
Award-winning classic musical Mary Poppins is returning to Manchester next year / Credit: Daniel Boud (via Supplied)
The production has original music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, with new songs and additional music and lyrics also featuring too.
The book comes from Julian Fellowes, dance and vocal arrangements are by George Stiles, co-choreography is by Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear, sound design is by Paul Gatehouse, lighting is by Hugh Vanstone, and the set and costume designs are by Bob Crowley.
Mary Poppins will be live at the Palace Theatre Manchester from 9 April – 17 May 2025, and tickets are set to go on general sale next Monday (18 March) at 10am.