Divorced, Beheaded, Died; Divorced, Beheaded, Survived-this handy little rhyme is likely what most Americans know best about the six wives of Henry VIII. Maybe if you were a devotee of the show The Tudors you know a bit more about Catherine of Aragon or Anne Boleyn, but after that, things get a bit murky (so many Catherines!). The musical SIX gives these women the chance to tell their own stories, and shed some light on the circumstances of their lives and deaths. Though the musical deals with heavy topics like infidelity, miscarriage, death by execution, etc., the six wives are generally pretty frank about their situations. Dramatic history plus catchy songs equals a fantastically fun night of theatre; giving the lesser-known wives a chance to remind us that they were more than just a number.
Henry VIII of England is best remembered for creating his own church when the Catholic Pope wouldn't allow him to divorce his first wife. He went on to marry five more times. That first wife, Catherine of Aragon, was the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, mother of Queen Mary I (Bloody Mary). Wife number two was the infamous Anne Boleyn and mother of Elizabeth I. Then we have Jane Seymour, mother of King Edward VI; Anne of Cleves; Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr.
Six feels more like a musical revue or concert than a typical Broadway show, with each of the queens resplendent in sparkly, retro futuristic costumes, taking turns telling their tale in a bid to have the audience decide which of them had it the worst. Catherine of Aragon wears a sparkly gold ensemble with a spiky gold crown-picture Statue of Liberty-and the lighting for her musical number resembles the red and gold of the Spanish flag. Anne Boleyn is in a shiny green mini skirt. Jane Seymour's corset top resembles the classic black on white striping of Tudor revival style architecture. Each of the costumes is distinct while complementing each other in a harmonious blaze of sparkles that is fabulous under the lights.
Also fabulous are the songs and talents of the performers. The Six wives kick off the evening with "Ex-Wives", which perfectly sets the tone for the night of music. From there we transition to the "I will Survive"-esque "No Way" sung with assertive authority by Gerianne Perez as Catherine of Aragon. Other standout numbers include Jane Seymour's heartbreaking "Heart of Stone" sung by Cecilia Snow and the hysterically fun "Get Down" sung by Anna of Cleves, Terica Marie. Marie and her co-stars are clearly having a blast up on stage, and it's incredibly fun to watch. For the Wednesday night performance, Katherine Howard was played by Aryn Bohannon and Catherin Parr by Jana Larell Glover, both of whom were fantastic-bringing the exact right amount of humor and heartbreak to their roles.
Even if you've listened to the cast recording (and if you haven't, you should), this is a show that is phenomenal live. The performers are working the crowd, the live music is note-perfect and the audience's enthusiasm is electric. At a tight 80 minutes with no intermission, this show is like a roller coaster hurtling through non-stop pop-music ear worms, and lighting that is fine-tuned and calibrated to make the somewhat intimate stage feel fit for a queen.
SIX plays at The Providence Performing Arts Center, APRIL 11 - 23, 2023. Tickets are available at ppacri.org/six.
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