GOD SAVE THE QUEENS!
Divorced, beheaded, died or survived, the six wives of Henry VIII are back with their side of the story – as if told by the Spice Girls.
British monarchs have long been a popular subject for playwrights. The Madness Of King George III, The Empress, The Audience and Mary Stuart, for starters, not to mention the countless and complex works of Shakespeare.
But for Six, written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, a diffident approach is taken. It’s a musical, but in the style of Idol, and creating an atmospheric buzz with audiences, not unlike that of Hamilton.
Marlow and Moss penned Six while studying for their Cambridge exams, with the intention of highlighting gender inequality. 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 six wives of notoriously fickle Henry VIII, retold with 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.
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 in the performance I saw.
But the subject matter itself is problematic from the get-go. Henry VIII founded the protestant church of England, with himself at the top, because the Catholic Church wouldn’t allow him to divorce a wife. Of course, he’s best known for beheading two wives, to ensure his way prevailed. Gruesome stuff, and 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 the carefree attitude to divorce. The show is part of a revisionist trend, attempting to reclaim and reimagine some “happily ever afters” that never actually happened. In some cases, this doesn’t work well.
Marlow and Moss have created their queens with the bravura of modern music divas. Anne Boleyn has the persona of Lily Allen, Jane Seymour Adele, Anna Of Cleves Rihanna, and so on.
Playing the roles in the production currently touring Australia and New Zealand 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, 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 would have been the ultimate moment of female empowerment – the bedazzling costume alone would have been worth it.
Ultimately, the show draws our attention to how these characters are perceived through the lens Henry VIII’s history. Indeed, 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 song and dance celebration seems illfitting.
Six is certainly a clever concept, with passion, spectacle, and spirit, but historically these women were anything but glamourous dancing queens.
The writers intended to highlight gender inequality… but these women were not glamorous dancing queens.
MORE: Go to sixthemusical.com/australia