We’ve all heard of the six wives of Henry VIII – their enduring fame ensured by the passing parade of their marriages to their redoubtable, gouty Tudor spouse. There’s even a famous rhyme that British children use to remember their respective fates: “Divorced, beheaded, died. Divorced, beheaded, survived.”

But enough is enough. They’ve had it with only being famous because of that. So here they are live, ready to join forces as a pop group; a kind of royal Spice Girls. But who will be the lead singer? It’s decided that whoever had the worst or unhappiest time as Henry’s Queen will win, so they each unleash a song to state their case as they vie to rule the roost.

The cast of SIX The Musical. Photograph © James D. Morgan

SIX The Musical has arrived in Australia surrounded by a heady buzz, and on opening night at the Sydney Opera House it was quickly clear why it has been so embraced by audiences in the UK, the US and Canada. It’s fierce, it’s sassy, it’s heaps of fun: an exciting, kick-ass show that combines musical theatre and a pop concert in one exhilarating,...