A producer’s-eye look at how a British pop-concert musical became Six the Musical Japan — from translation philosophy and casting to what British audiences can expect from a week of captioned performances in the West End. This Q&A presents both Japanese and English for clarity and context.
When SIX powers up, it isn’t Tudor trivia that wins the room—it’s beat choices, joke timing, and six equal voices. Re-voicing that into Japanese, then bringing the Six the Musical Japan Cast to London for a one-week captioned theatre run, is a live case study in cross-cultural theatre productions done with care. In this conversation, producer Hiroko Murata reflects on what changes (and what doesn’t), how Japanese audiences respond, and what fresh resonances emerge when SIX speaks Japanese with English surtitles.
Reader offer: Japan Nakama readers get 10% off tickets with code NAKAMA10. Book with the code and you’ll also be entered to win a show programme signed by all ten Japanese Queens (winner drawn after the run).
Who is Hiroko Murata?
Hiroko Murata is Director of Umeda Arts Theatre UK Limited, a London-based subsidiary (est. Feb 2025) of Osaka’s Umeda Arts Theater. Since the 1990s she has produced landmark projects that bridge Japan and the world, from Yashagaike / Demon Pond (2005) to the Japan–Korea co-production Bring Me My Chariot of Fire (2012–13) and the world premiere of Prince of Broadway (2015).
Today, she splits her time between Japan and the UK, building cross-border collaborations and giving Japanese artists hands-on experience inside the British industry.
Producer Hiroko Murata, Director of Umeda Arts Theatre UK, working to expand Japanese performing arts globally from her base in London. Source: Performing Arts Network Japan (Photo by Shinobu Ikazaki)
Murata’s outlook is deliberately industry-minded as well as artistic: she has argued for non-hierarchical, international teams and for nurturing talent alongside profitability—accepting that some shows will lose money so that a sustainable pipeline can exist. After testing Broadway’s “money game,” she pivoted to the West End model to “take our time to create performances” and to embed Japanese work in London rather than fly in and out.
Her current slate spans UK–Japan co-productions (including Off-West End ventures) and training pathways for young Japanese creators. The goal, as she puts it, is simple and ambitious: “become a part of London’s theatre industry”—so that the route runs Osaka → Tokyo → London → the world.
The Japan Edit: Hiroko on SIX
1. 日本語版への翻案において、オリジナル英語版から最も変化した要素は何か（メロディの雰囲気、歌詞のフレーズ、振付のいずれか）？その理由は？
A（日本語）
クリエイティブ面に直接関わったわけではないので、あくまで観客としての視点にはなりますが、細部にはやはり日本特有の感性や空気感が随所に感じられるのではないかと思います。とはいえ、『SIX』という作品の本質的な魅力は、そうした文化的差異を超えて普遍性を保っている点にあると感じます。日本語で歌われ、演じられていても、優れた翻訳と訳詞によって、オリジナル版と変わらぬ熱量、そしてクイーンたちの個性が見事に息づいていると感じます。
A（English）
Although I wasn’t directly involved in the creative aspects, I can only speak from the perspective of an audience member. Still, I believe there are countless moments where one can sense the uniquely Japanese sensibility and atmosphere woven into the finer details.
That said, what makes SIX so remarkable is that its core appeal remains universal, transcending cultural differences. Even when sung and performed in Japanese, the excellent translation and adapted lyrics preserve the same energy and vitality as the original, allowing each Queen’s individuality to shine through beautifully.
2) What single stage moment did Japanese audiences love the most—and do you expect a different reaction from London audiences?
2. 日本の観客が最も熱狂したステージ上の瞬間は？ロンドン観客の反応は異なると思うか？
A（日本語）
クイーンたちが互いを、そして自らを認め合いながら歌い上げる『SIX』のクライマックスは、やはり胸を打つ瞬間だと思います。そこにはシスターフッドの絆が感じられ、舞台全体が本当に温かい空気に包まれていると感じます。その感情はきっと、国や文化を超えてロンドンの観客の方も同じように感じているのではないでしょうか。
A（English）
The climax of SIX, when the Queens sing together in mutual recognition of one another and of themselves, is truly a moving moment. There’s a powerful sense of sisterhood that fills the stage, creating an atmosphere of genuine warmth. I believe that feeling transcends borders and cultures, and that audiences in London experience it in much the same way.
3) Tokyo vs Osaka vs Nagoya: where did the laughter peak, and on which lines or moments? What surprised you the most?
3. 東京・大阪・名古屋公演を比較し、笑いが最も大きかったのはどこか？どのセリフや場面で？最も驚いた点は？
A（日本語）
日本ではしばしば、都市ごとに観客の反応が異なると言われます。3都市すべての公演を観ることができたわけではないので一概には言えませんが、きっとキャストのみなさんは、それぞれの土地で生まれる空気の違いや、観客との呼応の妙を楽しんでいたのではないでしょうか。
A（English）
In Japan, it’s often said that audiences can differ quite noticeably from city to city. I wasn’t able to see performances in all three cities myself, so I can’t make a sweeping statement, but I imagine the cast must have enjoyed the subtle differences in atmosphere that arose in each place, as well as the unique chemistry that developed between them and the audience.
4) For the London run, what will remain exactly “as staged in Japan,” and what elements will be adapted (e.g. stage spacing, sound/visuals, caption placement)?
4. ロンドン公演において、日本公演と「全く同じ」に保たれる要素と、変更される要素（例：舞台間隔、音響やビジュアル、字幕位置）は？
A（日本語）
基本的な構成は日本公演と変わりませんが、今回大きな特徴となるのは英語字幕の導入です。日本キャスト版をすでにご覧になった方や日本語話者の方にとっては、自分の知る台詞や歌詞が英語に訳されていることで、新たな発見や新鮮さを感じていただけると思います。一方で、ロンドンの『SIX』ファンにとっても、英語字幕を通じて日本語版との表現の違いを味わえる、興味深い体験になるのではないでしょうか。
また、舞台そのものも日本公演時よりコンパクトな空間になるため、物理的な距離が縮まり、キャストと観客との一体感や臨場感がいっそう際立つことを期待しています。
A（English）
The overall structure remains the same as when performed in Japan, but one major feature this time is the introduction of English surtitles. For those who have already seen the Japanese cast version, or who speak Japanese, seeing the familiar lines and lyrics translated into English will offer a sense of freshness and new discovery. At the same time, for SIX fans in London, it will be a fascinating experience to appreciate how certain expressions differ in the Japanese version through the surtitles. In addition, the stage itself will be set in a more compact space than in Japan, which I believe will bring the audience physically closer to the cast—heightening the sense of connection and immediacy that SIX is known for.
5) When casting, what makes someone a “Queen” in your company—belt, blend, presence—and how did you balance vocal power, stamina, and storytelling in an 80-minute, no-interval show?
5. キャスティングにおいて、貴社で「クイーン」たる人物の条件（ベルト、ブレンド、存在感）は？また、80分間・休憩なしの公演で、歌唱力、スタミナ、ストーリーテリングをどうバランスさせたか？
A（日本語）
それはまさに、キャスト一人ひとりのクイーンたちへの深い愛情と敬意の賜物だと思います。それぞれが自身の演じるクイーンの生き様を丹念に探求し、真摯に向き合っている姿勢が、舞台上からひしひしと伝わってきます。作品への揺るぎない献身こそが、彼女たちの“her-story”を80分間を通して鮮やかに体現しているのだと思います。
A（English）
I believe that’s very much a reflection of the cast’s deep love and respect for each of the Queens. You can truly feel, from the stage, how carefully each performer has explored and connected with the life of the Queen she portrays. It’s that unwavering dedication to the piece that brings their her-story vividly to life throughout the eighty-minute performance.
6) What do you want British audiences to take away from hearing these stories in Japanese with English captions?
6. 英語字幕付き日本語で語られるこれらの物語を、英国観客に何を感じ取ってほしいですか？
A（日本語）
英国の歴史が日本語で語られることの新鮮さを楽しんでいただくと同時に、言語を超えて通じ合う思いや感情を、英語版と同じように感じ取っていただけたら嬉しいです。
A（English）
I hope audiences will enjoy the freshness of hearing British history told in Japanese, while also feeling the same shared emotions and sentiments that transcend language—just as they would in the English version.
7) SIX is loved worldwide—what do you feel the Japanese perspective adds to the story that no other production can?
7. 『シックス』は世界中で愛されていますが、日本版ならではの視点が物語に何をもたらすと思いますか？
A（日本語）
日本には、他者や周囲との調和を重んじる文化があります。そのため、6人の王妃たちが声を上げる姿は、単なる“解放”ではなく、集合の中での自分を見つめ直しながら、内面の痛みや葛藤を静かな強さへと変えていく過程として映るのではないでしょうか。それは、マイクを手に競い合うようなエネルギッシュな自己主張でありながらも、共に在ることの中で自分を見つけていくという、日本的な感性に根ざした強さの表現だと思います。日本語で語られることで、その繊細さと情緒的な深みがいっそう際立ち、作品に日本独自の響きを与えているように感じます。
A（English）
In Japan, there is a strong cultural emphasis on harmony with others and with one’s surroundings. Because of that, the sight of the six Queens raising their voices can be seen not simply as an act of “liberation,” but as a process of quietly transforming inner pain and conflict into strength, while rediscovering oneself within the collective. Though the performance is energetic and assertive, with each Queen taking the microphone in turn, it also expresses a form of strength deeply rooted in the Japanese sensibility—one that finds selfhood through togetherness. Being told in Japanese brings out even more of that delicacy and emotional depth, giving the piece a uniquely Japanese resonance.
Know before you go
- When/where: Tue 4 – Sun 9 November 2025, Vaudeville Theatre, Strand, WC2R. One week only.
- Language & access: Performed in Japanese with English surtitles (captions).
- Run time: ~1 hr 20 min, no interval. Recommended ages 10+.
Quick caption tip (60 seconds)
Glance to the side/top surtitles for set-ups, then keep your eyes on the performers’ faces for the punch. You should only need two–three glances per song in this concert-musical format.
Plan Your Night at SIX Japan
The six Japanese Queens of the *Six the Musical Japan* cast performing on stage.
Six the Musical Japan is cross-cultural theatre done at full voltage—same band-on-stage swagger, new sonic colour, and a fresh angle on sisterhood. For one week, London gets to hear these stories in Japanese while reading the wit in English—a rare chance to notice how timing, vowel length, and phrasing reshape familiar moments.
See the Japanese Queens take the West End stage Tue 4 – Sun 9 November 2025 at the Vaudeville Theatre. Book via the official site or the theatre’s booking partners while seats last.
Don’t forget, Japan Nakama readers get 10% off tickets with code NAKAMA10. Anyone who books using the code will also be entered to win a show programme signed by all ten Japanese Queens—drawn after the run.
