Review: SIX the Musical - Rewriting History with Female Empowerment

Winner of 26 awards in the 2021/2022 Broadway season, including the 2022 Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, SIX is the story of the six wives of Henry VIII who reclaim their identities in the shadow of their infamous spouse.  With bright, bold costumes and fire in their soul, think CHICAGO meets Spice Girls in this nonstop powerhouse musical.

Each queen performs a solo structured as a competition to see who suffered the most, and that diva will be chosen as the group’s lead singer by the audience.  “Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived” – this is the mantra of the group.  As horrifying as it is to read those words, the queens portray their lives in a completely unsentimental and unattached way, which gives the audience permission to laugh and celebrate their vindication.

The songs range from forceful outcries to poignant ballads as each queen takes the spotlight.  All six ladies – Emma Elizabeth Smith, Nella Cole, Abigail Sparrow (on opening night), Hailey Alexis Lewis, Alize Cruz, and Tasia Jungbauer – brought the house down with their fierce portrayal and killer vocals.  Though each queen shines in her solo moments, the cast truly excels as a whole, delivering performances that are dynamic, spirited, and empowering. 

“Heart of Stone,” sung passionately by Abigail Sparrow, was a heartbreaking and powerful tribute to Jane Seymour’s unwavering strength and love amidst tragedy, while “Get Down” by Hailey Alexis Lewis celebrated Anna of Cleves’s independence and wealth after her divorce from King Henry VIII.  Tasia Jungbauer channels her inner Alicia Keys and sings a poignant “I Don’t Need Your Love,” capturing Catherine Parr’s internal struggle with being forced to marry the king to ensure her survival vs. expressing her deep affection for someone she truly loves. It's the ultimate challenge of sacrificing personal desires for the sake of duty.

“Haus of Holbein” sung by all the queens, humorously portrays the beauty standards of the Tudor era, critiquing the extreme measures women took to fit this mold, including using urine to lighten their hair.  It also references the artist who painted the portrait of Anna of Cleves and the disappointment of Henry VIII when she didn’t measure up to the beauty of the painting in person, leading to their annulment.

Costume design by Gabriella Slade is stunning and allows each queen the chance to truly dazzle in the spotlight.  And lighting by Tim Deiling provided that spotlight to shine.  The dynamic choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille is stylistic of a pop band with synchronized movements when performing together, but also craftfully designed to showcase each individual personality, emphasizing empowerment and individuality.  

This clever, entertaining 80 minute musical (with no intermission) is a nonstop whirlwind of talent with themes of identity, empowerment, and vindication.  The women strive to reclaim their narratives and rewrite their stories from a patriarchal history that tried to erase them.  And they do so with strength, resilience, humor, and girl power.

SIX the Musical is playing at the Palace Theatre through December 21st.  For tickets, visit: capa.com.

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