The Tudor Era meets the Girl Band as the six wives of Henry VIII take the stage in the flashy new musical SIX now playing at Shea's Buffalo. The girl singing groups of the last 70 years surely have paved the way for our regal queens, with the Spice Girls and K-Pop Girl Bands being more recent additions to the pop culture musical scene.
Authors/Composers Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss have fashioned a musical for the 21st century that brings a modern day sensibility to the retelling of the loves and marriages of Henry III. Told in the form of a concert, the perky and sassy young wives take to the stage, engaging with the audience in winning a contest of sorts... Who suffered the most at the hands of the infamous hefty king? The overall mood is one of light hearted comedy and the musical style in contrast to the historical period somehow works.
The Queens
Catherine of Aragon.....Gerianne Perez
Anne Boleyn.... Zan Berube
Jane Seymour.... Amina Faye
Anna of Cleves.... Terica Marie
Katherine Howard....Aline Mayagoitia
Catherine Parr.... Taylor Pearlstein
The cast of queens is uniformly excellent, and is composed of a great mix of ethnicities and body types. All holding microphones throughout, these sassy ladies rile up the audience vying for the most sympathy. Whether beheaded, death by cancer or childbirth, each has a moment to shine as they tell their stories. Program notes give a brief background to those who don't remember their history, now called "her-story."
The cast and creative team (save for Mr. Marlow) is mostly made up of strong and talented women, as well as the female and non-binary onstage band, "The Ladies in Waiting."
Each of the queens is given a musical "queenspiration" that includes Avril Lavigne, Adele. Beyonce, Rihanna, Ariana Grande and Alicia Keys.
Given this construct and the pop concert set up, this is not your traditional musical. This 80 minute one act is given with high energy and infectious enthusiasm. Anne Boleyn is a perky blonde who constantly reminds us she suffered the most, losing her head. But then again so did Katherine Howard. Catherine of Aragon is perpetually pious, Anna of Cleves was unattractive and rejected. Jane Seymour produced the only male heir, her claim to fame. Catherine Parr attempts to convince that she was much more than just a wife to Henry, having abandoned her true love to marry the regent.
The vocals are universally strong, and the ladies offer great back up singing when it's not their turn to shine. The opening number "Ex-Wives" and closing "Six" were rousing . Of course a finale with dazzling light show and the requisite gold confetti cannons were sure to get the audience on their feet.
Choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille is squarely based in the club scene, with a few nods to archaic courtly dances. The effect is dizzyingly wonderful. These ladies can move!
The fun costumes by Gabriella Slade also scream K-pop, with shorts skirts, bejeweled or fishnet stockings and some edgy crowns.
The authors cap off the evening not with an air of self pity for these queens, but rather allowing them to shine for the brave woman that made their notorious husband famous, or possibly infamous. Without them, he would have been another monarch who is all but forgotten. Yes, girl power is what rules for these strong woman, who were much more than simply royal wives.
SIX plays at Shea's Buffalo Theatre through May 7, 2023. Contact sheas.org for more information.
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