A Japanese all-female cast is set to take over Vaudeville theatre for a week-long run in the West End, marking the first time that the musical has been performed with a cast singing in Japanese and featuring English captions.
The show's creators, Kenny Wax and Andy Barnes, are thrilled to bring this unique production to London. "We thought it'd be wonderful for the queendom to do something different," says Wax. "Six likes to be different; we often do crazy things."
The cast features a diverse range of actresses, including Airi Suzuki as Catherine Howard, and Marie Sugaya as Anne of Cleves, both well-known figures in Japanese pop culture.
When asked about her character's song, All You Wanna Do, Suzuki says: "Catherine Howard's message hasn't really changed in all these centuries: as humans we all have our own value." The show emphasizes empowering women and challenging historical narratives by giving the queens their own voice.
Sugaya notes that history has traditionally been written with men at its centre, leaving women's stories untold. "History is obviously written around men, and the women [so often] just become accessories," Sugaya says. "There are a lot of layers behind history."
For the creators, this production is more than just an adaptation - it's about exploring different cultural perspectives on the same story. The musical has been incredibly successful globally, with 15 countries licensed to perform it.
For Sugaya, performing in the West End is a dream come true. She will be sharing the stage with her friend who first introduced her to the show, making it an emotionally charged experience.
The show's creators, Kenny Wax and Andy Barnes, are thrilled to bring this unique production to London. "We thought it'd be wonderful for the queendom to do something different," says Wax. "Six likes to be different; we often do crazy things."
The cast features a diverse range of actresses, including Airi Suzuki as Catherine Howard, and Marie Sugaya as Anne of Cleves, both well-known figures in Japanese pop culture.
When asked about her character's song, All You Wanna Do, Suzuki says: "Catherine Howard's message hasn't really changed in all these centuries: as humans we all have our own value." The show emphasizes empowering women and challenging historical narratives by giving the queens their own voice.
Sugaya notes that history has traditionally been written with men at its centre, leaving women's stories untold. "History is obviously written around men, and the women [so often] just become accessories," Sugaya says. "There are a lot of layers behind history."
For the creators, this production is more than just an adaptation - it's about exploring different cultural perspectives on the same story. The musical has been incredibly successful globally, with 15 countries licensed to perform it.
For Sugaya, performing in the West End is a dream come true. She will be sharing the stage with her friend who first introduced her to the show, making it an emotionally charged experience.