Six things to look out for in Six the Musical Live! – as suggested by the Queens

Six is finally heading to the big screen!

The filmed performance, recorded live at the Vaudeville Theatre with the original West End Queens, arrives in cinemas this month. To celebrate, the purple carpet was rolled out at London’s Ham Yard Hotel as the stars held court alongside the creative minds behind the piece and special guests at the UK premiere.

We chatted to the six Queens; Jarnéia Richard-Noel (who played Catherine of Aragon), Millie O’Connell (Anne Boleyn), Natalie Paris (Jane Seymour), Alexia McIntosh (Anna of Cleves), Aimie Atkinson (Katherine Howard), and Maiya Quansah-Breed (Catherine Parr), as well as the royal duo behind the mega-hit, Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, about everything the Queendom should look out for in the screening.

Want even more? Check out the WhatsOnStage review!

Everyone’s got their favourite…

From the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to the Arts Theatre, to the Vaudeville, and even Hampton Court Palace, the performers have worn their crowns in multiple venues. So they’ve gotten to know the historic figures pretty well before handing over the rei(g)ns to a wealth of talent, like those currently in the West End production! In the film, directed by Liz Clare, with stage direction by Moss and Jamie Armitage, expect close-ups on the Queens as they try to persuade audiences why they had the hardest time with Henry.

“We all have our own little mannerisms, little ‘isms!” McIntosh says, and no wink, hair flick, or side-eye is missed when every seat is the best in the “Haus of Holbein”!

Your comic went viral!

Whether you’ve seen the Queens live or streamed the album more times than Anna of Cleves has gotten down at parties, there’s “No Way” you’ll have caught all of the jokes in the show. They’re what Atkinson is most looking forward to audiences picking up from, saying: “When you’re in the theatre, everything moves so quickly that you might not catch a line or two, but in the film they each get their moment.”

Well, my sleeves may be green…

Gabriella Slade’s award-winning costumes can be seen in all of their glory under Tim Deiling’s lighting. O’Connell explains that each costume went through various stages and transformations before landing on the iconic studded silhouettes we’re familiar with today. In the recorded performances, there’s a chance to see them glisten up close and spot new favourite details.

To the film’s premiere, Marlow wore a one-of-a-kind costume, which appears to hybrid the principal costumes and is the only purple variation to exist. Designed by Slade, the get-up was a birthday gift from Moss, who decided to dress as the King himself to reunite with the Queens!

Jane CAN dance!

Party like it’s the 1500s! Carrie-Anne Ingrouille’s choreography is “non-stop,” says O’Connell, as it’s revived with renewed renaissance for the big screen. With the full capture of the production, it’ll become even easier for the Queendom to memorise the routines.

No chops in this edit…

Marlow and Moss have eaten, slept and breathed Six since they first conceived it at university. In a special snippet of an upcoming documentary following the making of the musical (more of that to come), you can see the pair working through early revisions and even singing the tunes to the cast as a pitch.

With productions taking place around the globe, most recently opening in Japan, the filmed reunion performance is quite literally like looking at the show through new eyes – being directed by the masterful camerawork. The editing has transformed the one-act, one-set show, giving it the royal pop treatment and each Queen a MTV moment. There’s a particularly interesting choice just before we fully get to know Catherine Parr, which adds a whole new dimension to her survival.

Energy is the crowning glory!

It isn’t only the Queens that audiences can see in the film, but the on-stage band, too! Richard-Noel says: “The Ladies in Waiting are up there with us, and I think that completely adds to the energy.” The band in the live-capture are Lauren Hopkinson (musical director and keys), Kelly Morris (bass) and Alice Angliss (drums). There weren’t empty seats, instead the home of Six, the Vaudeville Theatre, was full of lucky fans – one of whom gets a moment in the spotlight in the film… Applauds, whoops, and laughter can be heard throughout the recording, capturing the real theatrical experience.

Six the Musical Live! recorded at the Vaudeville Theatre with the original cast will arrive in cinemas from 6 April.