By Rose Cunningham
The glitz and glam of the theatre is one of my favourite parts of the holidays. My Instagram feed is always filled with the productions that are coming to Sydney, and I’d be lying if I didn’t keep a close eye on the musicals that hadn’t yet come to town so that I’m the first to know when they do. Suppose you too crave the iconic opening bar of Hamilton, the pop-princess vives of SIX, or the swing-filled tragedy of Hadestown. In that case, here’s a shortlist of incredible shows to see this summer.
Hamilton
Starring: Jason Arrow, Akina Edmonds, Vidya Makan, Elandra Eramiha, and Brent Hill (Alexander Hamilton, “The Schuyler Sisters” and King George)
Hamilton is potentially my all-time favourite musical, narrowly beating Come from Away. It’s fast-paced, witty, hilarious and an all-around great time, with a soundtrack which I’m proud to say I know every lyric of (ask any of my friends or family). Lin Manuel Miranda’s revolutionary musical is in its return to Sydney, and has won countless accolades including Oscars, Tony’s and the Pulitzer prize for drama. Blending a combination of Rap, Jazz, Hip Hop and traditional musical theatre with the historical story of one of the Founding Fathers, Hamilton is not to be missed. You don’t need to know much about US history to understand the show, but listening to the soundtrack before seeing it is useful, as it averages 144 words per minute, though can get up to 7 words per second in some songs. I won’t spoil some of the most incredible moments of the show, but no matter if it’s your first, second or tenth time seeing it, there is a lot to love.
You can “Be in the room where it happens” until January 25 at the Sydney Lyric Theatre.
SIX
Starring: Kimberley Hodgeson, Deirdre Khoo, Loren Hunter, Zelia Rose Kitoko, Chelsea Dawson and Girogia Kennedy
SIX is the fantastic retelling of the stories of the wives of King Henry VIII in an exciting, Pop-Queen style concert. The 75 minute show is incredibly engaging, with Iit’s power ballads and electric dance music, and at times feels more like a dance party than a history lesson. I love that it brings new voices to the forefront of the story, because as the show says, “all you ever hear and read about, is (their) ex and the way it ended”. Each queen gets to take centre stage as she presents her story, and the lyrics written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss are filled with historical references and wordplay for those who like to find the easter-eggs. A fantastic show about empowerment, strength and resilience, SIX is an entertaining and refreshing take on a historical story, and whilst it does diverge from purist history, it’s fun to cheer for an icon with a heavy dose of glitter and at one point, some fluro ruffles.
SIX is playing at the Theatre Royal until and including December 28
Hadestown
Starring: Christine Anu, Abigail Adriano, Noah Mullins, Elenoa Rokobaro and Adrian Tamburini
I haven’t seen Hadestown yet, but it is at the top of my list. I love Greek Mythology, and “Hadestown” portrays the story of Orpheus and Eurydicie in a post-apocalyptic world. Filled with Blues, Jazz and Folk music, Hadestown is hauntingly beautiful with a fair message of hope. Hadestown nods to a range of global issues including the climate crisis and the widening gap between the rich and poor whilst showing just how many experiences and emotions are truly universal. Whilst everything I’ve read tells me Hadestown is nowhere near as happy and lighthearted as any of the other shows on this list, it seems to tug on heartstrings, offering comfort and perhaps a spark of hope in the worst of our times. I have listened to the score a number of times, and this is something which I already love - the album started as a concept album, with ‘Hermes’ narrating it all, so you can still enjoy the story. Having also won Grammys and Tonys, Hadestown “invites the audience to imagine how the world could be”.
Hadestown will be at the Theatre Royal from February 10th to April 14th 2025.
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