Joan Marcus
Henry the Eighth he was, Henry the Eighth he was, he was. He was the widower next door, he was married five times before … or something like that. Except this time, there are no songs for Henry VIII – it’s the ladies’ turn to sing in SIX, the Broadway musical whose North American Tour has stopped at D.C.’s National Theatre. They have their own catchy tunes, as they repeat again and again, ‘Divorced, beheaded, died! Divorced, beheaded, survived!’ to open the show, introducing themselves, in unfortunate chronology, in this quick history lesson. This rock concert musical finally, just a few hundred years too late, lets the ladies tell their side of the story and battle it out for who had the worst relationship with the infamous king.
The first wife is Catherine of Aragon, arguably (not to pick a winner or anything) the most put-upon and screwed-over of the ladies. Unable to deliver an heir to the king, she’s cheated on and disrespected by her husband. She’s played by Chani Maisonet, who is given the tough job, by writers Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, of going first. Who is going to pick their favorite when they haven’t seen any other contestant?
She’s followed by perhaps the most famous of the wives (and my personal favorite of the girl group), Anne Boleyn, played by Gaby Albo. Best known today for being on the wrong end of an execution, not knowing that a separation agreement would mean separating her head from her body. And that’s really most of her bit, cranium puns, so I figured I’d try my best. The character is sexy and flirty and Albo, a semifinalist on The Voice Mexico, is a natural fit for the part and the show.
Next up is Jane Seymour, the wife he loved and who finally delivered that baby boy, but died during childbirth. Instead of being about her horrible and abusive relationship, her song, ‘Heart of Stone’, is about the loss of the life she didn’t get a chance to live. Directors Moss and Jamie Armitage give Seymour, played on tour by Kelly Denice Taylor, center stage and a blinding spotlight to belt out her best Adele or Celine.
Joan Marcus
Things change up a bit for Anna of Cleves, played by Danielle Mendoza. I don’t want to spoil what makes her story different (because it’s a delightful surprise), but I will tease you by saying that costume designer Gabriella Slade (who won a Tony for her work on the Broadway production) uses this opportunity to move away from the bubblegum steampunk that dominates the clothing to go full … German nightclub. House music blasts and Tim Deiling’s lights flash and flash. It’s a bumping way to get over the hump that could have been the musical’s monotony.
Alizé Cruz plays Katherine Howard, the unfortunate victim of that second beheading we were warned about. Only a teenager when she married the middle-aged Henry and only used for sex by her husband, she’s sexualized just like Britney Spears and Ariana Grande (whom she’s dressed to look like most) were sexualized. Her song is innuendo after innuendo and it was at this moment that I couldn’t help but notice how many children were in the audience. Despite being very millennial-coded, the show has become a hit with pre-teens. Seated near me was an entire row of girls who couldn’t have been older than twelve, prepped with their blankets and the libations of soda in a collectible SIX cup as if they were at a sleepover. After the show, I overheard them debating who was who in the girl group.
But before we get there, we have to meet Catherine Parr, the final wife played by Tasia Jungbauer. She also has an interesting twist on her tale, but no spoilers will be found here. By the time we reach the end, you can’t help but be totally convinced by these ladies, their stories, and their popstar status. Sure, some of the facts are flubbed (your teacher will know if you try to use this as a secondary source for your next essay), but just like any arena show, it’s half about spectacle and pizazz anyway. And at just 80 minutes(!), it doesn’t have time to run out of steam, confetti, or bad beheading puns.
SIX runs about 80 minutes with no intermission. The show is recommended for ages 10 & up but Don’t Lose Ur Head, we love our Queens of all ages!
SIX runs through December 1 at Washington DC’s National Theatre. Other cities on the schedule include Boston, Hartford, Indianapolis, Portland Oregon, Seattle, Vancouver and more. Visit the official website for more information. Use our Ticketmaster link to purchase tickets.
SIX – Back by Popular Demand at The National Theatre
Broadway at the National
Check our Ticketmaster link for ticket availability.
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