Historical musicals tend to capture the hearts and minds of their audiences. Who hasn’t heard of Hamilton or Les Miserables and their depiction of human triumph and despair? Some of the most incredible works of music and theater often are centered around humanity’s shared past.
Six, a musical that premiered in 2017 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in England, aims to do just that. The critically acclaimed show has made its way to multiple West End and Broadway performances, along with receiving the Tony Award for Best Original Score and Best Costume Design in a Musical in 2022.
The show had a recent but brief run at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh, and I was fortunate to be in the audience.
Written by Cambridge University students Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, Six follows the six wives of Henry VIII: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr. Although history books tend to focus on Henry himself, his six wives each possess their own individual story that deserves to be recognized.
Although many expect a historical musical to be composed of classically inspired pieces and orchestral ballads, Six emulates a modern-day pop concert, where each former queen is competing to decide who has had a worse run with Henry VIII. This decision will lead them to choose who will eventually become the lead singer of their band.
Each queen performs a song detailing her life and (potential) death at the hands of Henry VIII.
Marlow and Moss wrote each queen’s character by taking inspiration from two pop artists. Catherine of Aragon emulates Beyoncé and Shakira, while Anne Boleyn takes inspiration from Avril Lavigne and Lily Allen. Jane Seymour is inspired by Adele and Sia, while Anne of Cleves channels Nicki Minaj and Rihanna. Catherine Howard imitates Ariana Grande and Britney Spears, and Catherine Parr takes inspiration from Alicia Keys and Emeli Sandé.
The lyricism is especially clever, making a multitude of references to significant historical events from the 16th century. The first track in the score, “Ex-Wives,” is derived from the classic rhyme used by history teachers to help their students memorize each queen, with lyrics detailing their fates in order of succession: “Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.” Other lyrics make playful quips and witty, historical wordplay, such as “You want to get down? Let’s get in reformation.”
And while many of the songs are energetic and reflect the playful nature of the show, numbers like “Heart of Stone,” “All You Wanna Do,” and “I Don’t Need Your Love” touch on important societal issues regarding gender inequality.
Six, which initially compares the legacies of the women affected by Henry VIII’s tyranny, identifies the hypocrisy and sexism of grouping them simply as the “wives of Henry VIII.” At the end of the show, Catherine Parr, the final and only surviving wife, refuses to continue with the competition, explaining that she is so much more than the horrible things that have happened to her. The song “I Don’t Need Your Love” emphasizes that Parr was not only one of the King’s six wives but also an activist for female rights and the first female author to have a book published in England under her name, which is how history should remember her.
The musical highlights the unjustness of comparing the legacies of each wife and arguing over who had it harder. Each one made significant contributions to history and deserves to have her story remembered.
At the end of the musical, the group comes together in a defiant act against the way that history has told their stories. “Six,” the title track and finale, is a celebration of women and their contributions to history. The song conveys the importance of female empowerment through mutual support, not judgment.
Six is not only a playful and entertaining celebration of pop but also a beautiful story highlighting the incredible contributions of women in history that deserve to be recognized. The national tour enjoyed its stop in Pittsburgh, which lasted from October 7th to October 12th at the Benedum. The show is currently making its stop in Worcester, Massachusetts at the Hanover Theatre. It is a must-see for any history lover and musical enthusiast.
