Review: SIX THE MUSICAL at Royal Alexandra Theatre

Step back in time with the six wives of King Henry VIII in this dazzling new musical

By: Sep. 30, 2023
Review: SIX THE MUSICAL at Royal Alexandra Theatre

Divorced, beheaded, died. Divorced, beheaded, survived. If you happened to fall into the (mis)fortune of being married to one of England’s most notorious kings, your fate was sealed. Six The Musical, written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, takes the tragic fates of Henry VIII’s six wives and weaves them into a lively and flirty musical romp that has kicked off Mirvish’s 2023-2024 season, on stage at the Royal Alexandra Theatre.

If you have a passing interest in Tudor history, this glossy musical would be right up your alley. If you are a dedicated Tudor historian, this show is not for you. You won’t find historical accuracy here. What you will find is a look at how shared experiences can divide or bring women together. Henry’s six wives convene to discuss their experiences and fates being married to Henry VIII where the audience is encouraged to decide which Queen should reign supreme – based on each Queen’s personal tale of who had it worse at the hands of tyrannical Henry.

If you require a Tudor refresher, look to your programme for a nifty little “Her-story” guide to our cast of leading ladies that is peppered with historical tidbits and an interesting bit of “Queenspiration” hinting at the musical styles that Queen takes on in her performance.

Personally, I have always had a fondness for Queen #2 Anne Boleyn and it likely comes from Natalie Dormer’s portrayal of her in The Tudors. In Six, Julia Pulo portrays Anne in a much younger and a more naïve and green representation than I’m used to. It’s unexpected, but not necessarily in a bad way. Her introduction song “Don’t Lose Ur Head” hits the nail squarely on the (missing) head and leans heavily on her youthful portrayal. To me, this texting and selfie-taking mallrat portrayal feels more in line with Katherine Howard than Anne Boleyn.

Maggie Lacasse as Jane Seymour stood out for me, in particular during her song “Heart of Stone”, her voice soars and she’s stunning. I was also drawn to Krystal Hernández as Anna of Cleves. Her story is a delight to watch both with the club-centric song “Haus of Holbein” performed by all the Queens and with her personal song “Get Down”.

Six The Musical is as advertised – a fun and glitzy quick musical. Loosely based on history, rooted firmly in the here and now that reminds women to uplift each other rather than tear down


BroadwayWorld Awards Voting

RELATED STORIES - Toronto

1
Musical Stage Company Announces Kevin Wong As Newest Crescendo Series Artist Photo
Musical Stage Company Announces Kevin Wong As Newest Crescendo Series Artist

Musical Stage Company announces Kevin Wong as newest Crescendo Series artist, joining past artists Britta Johnson and Anton Lipovetsky in the ground-breaking program.

2
Guillaume Côté & Robert Lepage to Present World Premiere of New Collabora Photo
Guillaume Côté & Robert Lepage to Present World Premiere of New Collaboration - HAMLET, Prince Of Denmark

Co-produced by Côté Danse, Ex Machina, and Dvoretsky Productions and presented by Show One, the new dance theatre production debuts April 4, 2024.

3
Metcalf Foundation Announces Five Winners For The Johanna Prizes Photo
Metcalf Foundation Announces Five Winners For The Johanna Prizes

Metcalf Foundation announces the five winners for the Johanna Prizes in 2023. La Fondation Metcalf annonce les cinq lauréats de l’édition 2023 des Prix Johanna.

4
Massey Hall to Present Choir! Choir! Choir! Epic 80s Sing-Along Photo
Massey Hall to Present Choir! Choir! Choir! Epic 80s Sing-Along

Massey Hall will welcome back Choir! Choir! Choir! to the legendary Allan Slaight Stage onFriday, April 12, 2024 with THE EPIC 80S SING-ALONG! 

From This Author - Samantha Wu

Samantha is both a writer and a fan of the arts and has been able to find numerous ways to pair the two. Formerly an editor and writer at Mooney on Theatre, she also serves as a photojournalist for Th... Samantha Wu">(read more about this author)

Videos


The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes in Toronto The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes
Canadian Stage (1/18-1/28)
Christmas Birthdays Suck! in Toronto Christmas Birthdays Suck!
The Assembly Theatre (12/09-12/14)
Midnight Mass in Toronto Midnight Mass
The Assembly Theatre (12/02-12/23)
TSO Holiday Pops in Toronto TSO Holiday Pops
Toronto Symphony Orchestra (12/11-12/13)
Captain Galactic & Penny in Toronto Captain Galactic & Penny
The Assembly Theatre (12/09-12/30)
Kidd Pivot: A New Creation in Toronto Kidd Pivot: A New Creation
Bluma Appel Theatre (12/06-12/09)
Rapunzel, the Family-Friendly Musical! in Toronto Rapunzel, the Family-Friendly Musical!
Wychwood Theatre (12/02-1/07)PHOTOS VIDEOS
All Of Us Are Naughty in Toronto All Of Us Are Naughty
The Assembly Theatre (12/01-12/29)
Magic Mel in Toronto Magic Mel
Wychwood Theatre (12/28-12/29)
Blake and Clay's Gay Agenda in Toronto Blake and Clay's Gay Agenda
The Assembly Theatre (12/27-12/30)
VIEW ALL SHOWS  ADD A SHOW  

Recommended For You