Arts > Theatre
Six – the Musical - at the Theatre Royal
Norwich Theatre Royal
22/09/21
Marlow and Moss’s reimagining of Henry VIII’s six wives started life back in 2017, performed at the Apex Hotel as part of the Edinburgh Fringe. I was staying a couple of minutes’ walk away, and would love to tell the story of how I had the prescience to take a chance on what was a student production, and how I knew from the start it was destined for greatness. Sadly, I was elsewhere (no doubt watching something that has since sunk without trace). It passed me by again, when its professional incarnation premiered at the Norwich Playhouse. Safe to say, therefore, that I’m late coming to a party that has since become something of a global phenomenon, as was evident from the palpable buzz prior to the show at the Theatre Royal.
Such is the significance of the Royal opening its doors again, I dare say folk would have turned up for a fellow playing the spoons accompanied by his barking dog, but to witness such a vibrant, expectant atmosphere and (dare I say it) such an unusually youthful crowd was as heartening as it was exciting. From the outset, this was an audience intent on having the best of times after a very long wait. The show opened to, not just applause, but to squeals and whoops of delight. For many (not least the young lady next to me) it was a chance to settle in and sing along to tunes that seemed perplexingly familiar to everyone except me. Over the last year I’ve repeatedly found myself making excuses for rough and ready performances – cutting them some slack after such a long time in the wilderness – but no such generosity was needed here. What a pleasure it was to enjoy excellent sound and production, fine musicianship and faultless singing throughout. Music pitched somewhere between the Spice Girls and Little Mix is not for everyone – there were times when I felt like a tutting High Court Judge wondering what the fuss was all about – but I did admire its unapologetic poptastic attitude. This was a slick, seamless show revelling in the self-confidence of knowing what it was, who it was for, and doing it well. What I enjoyed most, however, and what set it apart, was the book, which managed, with considerable wit and precision, to delineate the character of each of Henry’s wives. This was helped in no small part by a uniformly strong ensemble cast that brought to life Catherine, Anne, Jane, Anna, Katherine, and Catherine in a way that was provocative and audacious, yet felt oddly true to the spirit of the people they were representing. Now that the dust has settled, I realise I actually learned an awful lot from the evening - way beyond the blur that occupied my understanding beyond the first two wives – and that’s not something you expect from a musical.
Things got a tad touchy, feely for my tastes towards the end – an end that felt a little tacked on to bump up the running time. The Edinburgh show came in at a little over an hour, and while I appreciate the company probably just wanted to give punters value for money, my guess is that it made for a punchy, more focused, show. The central conceit – that each wife sang in defence of her claim to be hardest done by – is such a clever idea that when the cycle was complete, the natural rhythm of the show felt to me as if it has run its course. As it turned out, we had three more songs to go. That said, each was met by ever greater appreciation by the audience, in no hurry to break the spell the show had over them. So what do I know?
I’ll tell you what I do know – that it was hugely encouraging to see a full scale production return to Norwich’s biggest theatre, and a full house return to occupy its seats and enjoy it. Feel good musicals, complete with golden confetti, hand clapping acolytes, and extraordinary vocal gymnastics may not be for everyone, but there can be no doubt that this joyous celebration of live performance was the perfect start for a theatre reborn.
