Divorced, beheaded, died, or survived, the six wives of Henry VIII are back to tell their story, in something akin to a Spice Girls concert!
The kings and queens of the British monarchy have long been a popular subject for playwrights. The Madness of King George III, The Empress, The Audience and Mary Stuart are examples, not to mention the countless and complex works of Shakespeare.
But for Six, written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, we see a diffident approach altogether, not just by way of a musical, but for its ‘Idol’ style approach, creating an atmospheric audience buzz not unlike the hysteria of Hamilton.
Kala Gare as Anne Boleyn
Marlow and Moss penned Six while studying for their Cambridge exams, with an intention to highlight gender diversity and themes of queerness. The production has gone on to win an array of accolades, including two Tony Awards for Original Score and Costume Design.
The show’s title refers to the wives of notorious Henry VIII and their subsequent stories, retold through enough singing, dancing, costumes, and choreography to rival Eurovision. The wives essentially get to have ‘their say’ by competing in a concert to discover who suffered most at the king’s hands. The winner, decided by the audience, will become the lead singer.
“The writers intended to highlight gender diversity and themes of queerness.”
While this may sound tacky, the stage becomes fully charged with emotional energy in an electrifying theatrical experience. However, given the Tudor style set design and the fact that the wives were a mix of English, German and Spanish, the Aussie accents don’t quite fit, especially with the fourth wall constantly broken to address the city of ‘Melbourne’.
The cast of SIX
But the subject matter itself is challenging from the get-go – after all, Henry VIII was one of the most heinous monarchs in history, famously known for beheading two of his spouses, yet this production is a musical comedy. Other dramatics also come into play including the tragic death of Jane Seymour, the king’s misogyny, and carefree attitude to divorce. This is a show following the revisionist trend, attempting to reclaim and reimagine some ‘happily ever afters’ that never actually happened, but in some cases this doesn’t work well.
“Historically, these past monarchs were anything but glamourous dancing queens.”
Indeed, much thought has gone into this show. In true contemporary style, Marlow and Moss have created their queens in the bravura of modern music divas. Anne Boleyn has the persona of Lily Allen, Jane Seymour Adele, Anna of Cleves Rihanna and so on.
Vidya Makan as Catherine Parr
Playing the roles, and playing them well are, Phoenix Jackson Mendoza (Catherine of Aragon), Kala Gare (Anne Boleyn), Loren Hunter (Jane Seymour), Kiana Daniele (Anna of Cleves), Chelsea Dawson (Katherine Howard) and swing Shannen Alyce Quan (Catherine Parr), filled for Vidya Makan. The accompanying music also rocks along from an all-girl band, aptly named the Ladies in Waiting.
While the wives’ histories are documented throughout the narrative, there are many missed opportunities. The fact that Boleyn was accused of incest, that the king suffered from syphilis and his daughter became the dreaded ‘Bloody Mary’ are overlooked. Then there was his other daughter Elizabeth I, destined to become a long-reigning monarch. Surely a cameo appearance from Elizabeth I would have made the ultimate female ‘empowering’ moment – the bedazzling costume alone would have been worth it.
Chelsea Dawson as Katherine Howard
Ultimately the show does point out how these characters lived tragically and are only perceived through the connection to Henry VIII, as they regroup to sing ‘Megasix’ a comeback slap to Henry.
While Hamilton is classed as woke, raising awareness of racial and social justice, Six strives to do the same. The abuse suffered at the hands of Henry VIII is addressed, but its interpretation through celebration and reinvention seems wrong.
Six is certainly a clever concept, with passion, spectacle, and spirit, but historically these past monarchs were anything but glamourous dancing queens.
Six is playing at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre
For more: sixthemusical.com/australia
