Herstory in the Making - Six Reasons We Still Love Six: The Musical

By Sam Waite

At this point, it would be foolish to suggest that Six is anything but a cultural phenomenon. Once an offbeat twinkle in the eyes of Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, the show is an international juggernaut, playing to sold out crowds on both sides of the Atlantic, drawing in Les Mis’ levels of devotion along with Heathers’ penchant for a cosplaying audience.

But being uninitiated until the show’s most recent gala night, I've often found myself wondering why the fans are so ardent, the troops so firmly rallied, the studio cast album – as of that same gala night – a platinum record in the famously difficult streaming era. Does the audience simply hunger for girl groups? Did Marlow and Moss hide subliminal messaging in their upbeat songs? Maybe so, but here I'd rather explore other, perhaps more serious, reasons I feel Six has continued to soar:

The Runtime

Some shows are undeniably behemoths. Often these lengths are earned by the depth of plot or time required to sit with the themes, but theatregoers are not exempt from attending school, getting up early for work, or for determinedly keeping a morning routine regardless of these circumstances. Clocking in at a breezy 80 minutes, Six allows an 8pm start time to still have audiences beginning their journeys home before most of its neighbours. More importantly, the show can’t outstay its welcome, ensuring that enraptured audiences have energy, and an appetite, for more.

The Cast Changes

Like many shows that came before, and plenty that came later, Six brings in new casts as each season comes to a close. Of course, some queens will prefer an extended reign where others would rather abdicate sooner, but the countless performers stepping into these roles mean there is always a reason to return. A different accent, body type, or vocal quality can mean that a character carries an entirely new energy, even before the new cast impress with their own character choices, meaning even the most longstanding of fans could come away from their next visit with a new favourite queen, or a new interpretation of these historical figures.

The History Books

Speaking of history, I'm a firm believer that people want to see work about important figures, and relish a chance to learn as they watch. Hamilton is an obvious example, both of the appetite for historical musicals and the aforementioned behemoths, while Six gives you five more historical heroes in less than half the time! With Sylvia on its way back and history-twisting work like Bridgerton proving a consistent draw, I truly think Six stands tall as a beacon of audience’s genuine desire to learn though the art they consume.

The Bangers

I mentioned already that the show’s original studio recording has now become a platinum record, but anyone paying attention during the complicated times of the early 2020s shouldn't be too surprised. These songs were everywhere, are still wildly popular, and truthfully there isn't a weak link among them. Marlow and Moss could have stopped at a concept album and had a smash on their hands, but the thrill of seeing new performers put their own spin on such a high-energy, infectious set of songs makes a visit to the Vaudeville the ultimate way to enjoy them.

The Girl Power

Musical theatre has been seen, by many, as something women and gay men attend, and that straight men are dragged to by their partners and more fabulous friends. With that in mind, it stands to reason that a celebration of women who the history books have tried to reduce to only someone’s wives would be a major hit with the target demographic. Three waves of feminism later, many of us are compelled to dive deeper into the inner lives of the great women behind the “great” men, and Six’s open-hearted efforts to make each queen her own fully formed person is what many of us have clamoured for for decades.

The Quality

Lastly, we must acknowledge what’s been there from the start, what allowed the songs to become TikTok sensations and the show to become a darling of both the critics and the masses: it's really good. Marketing goes a long way, recognising your favourite underrated actress on a poster will score another sale, and sold out shows increase curiosity from those unfamiliar, but what keeps many long-runners going is that they're good shows. Six has all the makings of a musical theatre classic, and so much of that potential comes down to the simple fact that Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’ work is strong, resonant, and above all else, the kind of fun we all need once in a while.

Maybe I'm off-track entirely. Perhaps I was right up front and we really do just have a rabid desire for girl groups, but I can't help believing it’s something more grounded than that. Cynic though I often am, I truly believe that the shows running for such extended periods do so because they've struck a nerve, because there's something audiences get from these shows that raises them above others. In a difficult landscape, Six has continued to reign both in the West End and on Broadway, and whether or not we can truly say why, the queens themselves may have summed up their success best:

“We’re one of a kind, no category.”

Six continues its run at the Vaudeville Theatre, currently booking until January 2027

For tickets and information visit https://sixthemusical.com/london/