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
Review: CHRIS, MRS. at Winter Garden Theatre Photo
Review: CHRIS, MRS. at Winter Garden Theatre

CHRIS, MRS., bills itself as a musical version of a Hallmark holiday movie, and it does exactly—and I mean exactly—what it says on the tin. If you are a lover of Hallmark family entertainment, you’ll be over the moon for this show. It boasts entertaining lyrics, killer dance moves, adorable children, and a quirky, can-do spirt. That also means that it has ALL the parts of a Hallmark movie, for better or for worse.

2
Nancy Webster to Step Down as Executive Director of Young Peoples Theatre Photo
Nancy Webster to Step Down as Executive Director of Young People's Theatre

Young People’s Theatre has announced that Nancy Webster will step down as Executive Director at the end of the 2023.24 season, after more than 15 years of extraordinary leadership.

3
Interview: Liam Tobin And Danielle Wade of CHRIS, MRS. at the Winter Garden Theatre Photo
Interview: Liam Tobin And Danielle Wade of CHRIS, MRS. at the Winter Garden Theatre

Are you a Christmas cheerleader? A decorated-tree devotee? Do you love Hallmark Christmas movies so much you wish you could see one live? Well, CHRIS, MRS., aims to fulfil that need.

4
Talia Schlanger Comes to TD Music Hall in February Photo
Talia Schlanger Comes to TD Music Hall in February

TD Music Hall welcomes Talia Schlanger on Thursday, February 15, 2024 who today releases “See You Home”, her new single from her forthcoming debut album Grace for the Going, available February 2, 2024 via Latent Recordings.

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


Theatresports in Toronto Theatresports
Comedy Bar (11/17-12/29)
Messiah in Toronto Messiah
Toronto Symphony Orchestra (12/17-12/23)
Midnight Mass in Toronto Midnight Mass
The Assembly Theatre (12/02-12/23)
MacBeth: “A Tale Told by an Idiot” in Toronto MacBeth: “A Tale Told by an Idiot”
Red Sandcastle Theatre (2/08-2/18)
Magic Mel in Toronto Magic Mel
Wychwood Theatre (12/28-12/29)
A Chritsmas Carol  in Toronto A Chritsmas Carol
Campbell House Museum (12/06-12/22)
Sing-Along Messiah in Toronto Sing-Along Messiah
Tafelmusik (12/17-12/17)
Captain Galactic & Penny in Toronto Captain Galactic & Penny
The Assembly Theatre (12/09-12/30)
The Laundry List in Toronto The Laundry List
Al Green Theatre (Miles Nadal JCC) (1/27-1/28)
Pollyanna the Musical in Toronto Pollyanna the Musical
Theatre Aquarius (12/06-12/23)
VIEW ALL SHOWS  ADD A SHOW  

Recommended For You