With music and lyrics by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, ‘Six’ is a lively and modern retelling of the lives of Henry VIII’s six wives, with each of the wives appearing as the member of a band in a rock concert. Following a rousing introductory number in which the wives lament on the way in which history has treated them (“I’m done ‘cause all this time, I’ve been just one word in a stupid rhyme”), and vow to set the record straight, they are each given a turn of the microphone and the opportunity to tell their stories in a song. What starts as a competition between the wives to see who can win over the audience with the saddest story develops into a celebration of sisterhood and diversity.
One of the many aspects of ‘Six’ I enjoyed was the myriad of musical styles, with the song for each of the wives having a distinct inspiration from modern female artists that shapes her character. For the performance I saw, the role of Henry’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon, was played by Jarnéia Richard-Noel in a fierce and regal performance. Taking her musical inspiration from Beyoncé and Shakira, Catherine’s song ‘No Way’ showcases her strength, resilience, and dignity in the face of her treatment by Henry, as he engages in numerous extra-martial affairs and attempts to annul their marriage.
The role of Anne Boleyn was played with sass, and just a hint of hysteria, by Courtney Bowman. The musical inspiration for Anne’s song, the aptly titled ‘Don’t Lose Your Head’, includes Avril Lavigne and Lily Allen, and Anne’s character has the same audacious, ‘devil may care’ persona. I particularly loved how the performance of the song gradually shifts from mock innocence at the beginning, as Anne describes her initial encounters with Henry, and develops a more frenetic, punky energy towards the end, once she realises Henry is serious about having her beheaded.
Natalie Paris brought a calmness and serenity to the role of Jane Seymour, and her slow-tempo ballad, ‘Heart of Stone’, was beautiful change of pace after the performance of ‘Don’t Lose Your Head’. Taking musical inspiration from Adele, Jane’s song is a testament to her enduring love for her husband, despite his erratic behaviour. It also speaks to the sadness and regret of not being able to see her son grow up, and how a mother’s love for her child is unconditional.
Alexia McIntosh had a wonderful stage presence as Henry’s fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, and I thought her independent, prima donna persona, inspired by Rihanna and Nicki Minaj, was one of the most inventive and enjoyable of the show. Arguably most well known for her famous portrait by Hans Holbein, and the brief period of her marriage to Henry, it was refreshing to see her portrayed as a bold, intelligent woman revelling in the freedom of her position.
Henry’s fifth wive, Katherine Howard, was played by Sophie Issacs in a wonderfully nuanced performance. I have often felt that Katherine receives the worst treatment of Henry’s wives, being portrayed in popular culture as wanton and vapid, as opposed to the victim of abuse by the powerful men she encountered. Her song ‘All You Wanna Do’, inspired by the dance pop anthems of Britney Spears and Ariana Grande, is a tragic look back at her relationships with men, including music teacher Henry Mannox (who she met when she was just thirteen), secretary Francis Dereham, and courtier Thomas Culpepper. As the song progresses, we see Katherine change from being a naive and hopeful young girl in the opening to feeling jaded, hopeless, and exhausted as she is repeatedly used and manipulated. For me, this was easily one of the most powerful sections of the show.
Catherine Parr, Henry’s final wife, was played with warmth and sincerity by Danielle Steers, and is arguably one of the most interactive characters in the show, in terms of her engagement with the audience and the band. Her song ‘I Don’t Need Your Love’ is a heartfelt ballad (inspired by Alicia Keys and Emeli Sandé) in which Catherine recounts a letter she wrote to Thomas Seymour (her fourth and final husband after Henry’s death in 1547, and the love of her life) telling him of her engagement to Henry, and the fact that their romantic relationship would have to end. In a powerful segment of the song, she also imagines what she would have said to Henry, if given the choice.
Importantly, it is Catherine who starts to question why the wives are competing against one another, and why they shouldn’t be able to take control of their own narratives, providing a bridge to the show’s denouement. In the final, show-stopping number, ‘Six’, the wives come together to re-write their histories in a homage to the power of female storytelling.
Going to see the show knowing very little about the context and the musical inspiration, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but left the theatre feeling energised and completely blown away. Seeing the auditorium packed full with women - not just groups of adults, but mothers and aunts taking their daughters and nieces to see and enjoy the show - was genuinely inspiring, and I hope the ‘Six’ queens go on to reign in the West End for a long time. Judging by the well-deserved success and recognition this show has received, I am certain they will.
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