If you’re a musical theatre fan, or you love the music from the pop princesses of our time, then this new musical – coming to New Zealand next year – should be on your 2025 bingo card stat.
The Tony Award-winning global phenomenon SIX the Musical tells the story of the six wives of Henry VIII like you’ve never heard before, captivating audiences of all ages with its innovative and empowering take on history. Since its debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, it swiftly moved to the West End, taking London by storm, and has continued to garner international recognition.
Apart from the above achievements, SIX has also made waves in the music scene, garnering more than 600 million soundtrack streams and amassing an incredible 3 billion TikTok views worldwide. Each queen has her own sound and look, based on the spirit and style of contemporary pop icons ranging from Beyoncé to Adele, Britney Spears to Rihanna.
To get a vibe of the hit musical, which will headline Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival in February next year, we spoke to Aussie performer Zelia Rose Kitoko, who’ll be portraying Henry’s fourth wife, Anne of Cleves.
Kia ora, Zelia! Can you begin by telling us a little about Six – obviously it’s a musical about the six wives of Henry VIII, but what else is the show all about?
It’s a period drama but in a pop culture, redefining, girl group-esque, empowering kinda way – well, that’s it in a nutshell! It re-tells the queens’ experiences and life stories from their own point of view. Many of the stories are indeed tragic, yet they are presented in a way that feels real and relatable to our contemporary lives. The queens represent pop divas of our time with the musical influences of the likes of Beyonce, Rihanna and Adele throughout the show. It’s the stories about these queens that we all know (or don’t know) through a new lens. The happy ending is that they all overcome their own fates and reinvent their own history.
Did you set out to play Anne of Cleves specifically? Did you do any research on her beforehand, and did that effect your portrayal?
As I reviewed the audition material and streamed the original cast recording, I began to envision how I could bring Anne of Cleves to life. I connected with her vibe. Her story stands in contrast to those of the other queens and often provides comedic relief throughout the show. Notably, she was the only queen to negotiate a prenup, which allowed her to live most of her life in her own palace and become one of the wealthiest women in England at the time. I knew this was going to be such a bold and fun character that I could add my essence too. The rhythmic flavour, badass energy and flamboyancy were all things I could see in her and that helped to colour my own portrayal of Cleves.
What did you take away about her from her marriage to Henry that you used for your performance?
Henry VIII famously claimed that Anne of Cleves was not attractive enough, insisting she didn’t match the flattering portrait that had drawn him into their arranged marriage. However, some historians argue that she was actually quite beautiful, suggesting that Henry spread this rumour due to their lack of chemistry—a blind date gone wrong if you will. Remarkably, Anne emerged from the marriage not only rich but also content. I use her story as a powerful anchor for inner confidence; despite the rejection, she was able to thrive, which speaks to her resilience and intelligence.
Are you excited to bring the show to New Zealand?
Since the show hasn’t been before it will be such an exciting experience for our production and for our audiences. There’s always so much hype around the show so were excited to interact with the queendom. The Civic is such a beautiful and ornate venue, It feels perfect.
Is Six a bit of a career high for you?
Six has been such a great exercise in unity, team work and also individuality. There’s so much talent in the show and each person brings in so much of themselves to bring the queens to life. It also requires a great amount of stamina and being in sync with one another. It’s as much of an ensemble show as it is a main character event.
What can audiences expect from Six?
They can expect a night of glamour, laughs, inspiration and even education. Plus there’s loads of audience interaction. It’s one of the few musicals where there’s no fourth wall. We love to include our audience and really connect. You’ll hear all the musical influences throughout and how distinct each queen is, and you’ll most likely have your own fav!
Can you tell us a little bit about your preparation for the role?
Firstly I worked on my stamina which included lots of cardio. To be able to sing and dance to that level for 80 mins is no easy feat. Then there was research into Anne’s story sourcing on the net, watching documentaries and reading. The most fun part for me was the influences that I would use for her persona on stage. I watched videos of big personalities like Keke Palmer and referenced Chris Tucker’s performance in The Fifth Element as Ruby Rhod. Black and larger than life is the brief!
What is life like when you’re on tour?
I’ve toured for many years as an artist and it’s always different every time. It’s nice to be back in Australia (my home) doing a show in Melbourne because I can be with my family and friends and they can all come and see what I’ve been working on. International touring is always magical and unforgettable so I’m always excited by it. There’s often so much to see and explore in between our schedule, I always try to fit in as much possible.
