Critical acclaim for musical co-created by Caian

  • 14 February 2019
  • 2 minutes

A musical co-penned by a Caian has achieved national acclaim, an extended West End run and nominations in six different categories at the WhatsOnStage awards. History graduate Lucy Moss (2014) co-wrote SIX, a modern retelling of the lives of Henry VIII’s six wives, with fellow Cambridge alumnus Toby Marlow. Lucy also shares directing credits with Jamie Armitage.

The show began life when Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society offered Toby the chance to write a new work for their slot at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. After coming up with the concept – the sextet in a pop concert together – he asked Lucy to write it with him. SIX incorporates different musical styles like ballads, rap, pop and techno, and songs from its score have been streamed over 3.5 million times online.

Winners of the WhatsOnStage awards will be announced at a ceremony in London on 3 March. SIX has been shortlisted in six categories: Best New Musical, Best Choreography, Best Costume Design, Best Lighting Design, Best Off-West End Production and Best Original Cast Recording. In 2018 the cast were named Best Ensemble in a Play or Musical at the Broadwayworld Awards, and Fiona Mountford of the London Evening Standard called the production “the most uplifting piece of new British musical theatre I have ever had the privilege to watch”.

Tickets for the current run at the Arts Theatre in Covent Garden are available up until January 2020.



Photo credit: Irina Chira

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