Reclaiming ‘Herstory’ in SIX at the National Theatre
Image Courtesy of Broadway at The National
By Mariam Baldwin
The SIX queens have come to DC and they are “divorced, beheaded, live.”
Excited theatergoers queued up at the National Theatre on Thursday night, ready to watch a sold-out show of SIX, the touring Broadway production.
Since it first premiered in 2017, SIX has captured the hearts of musical theater fans and garnered the acclaim of critics. Its playwrights Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow won the Tony for Best Original Score in 2023, alongside many other accolades.
SIX gets its title from the six wives of England’s King Henry VIII: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr. However, the musical seeks to reframe these women’s identities outside of their marriages to the English monarch. It endeavors to distinguish these women as individuals and reclaim their roles in history… or, as Catherine Parr puts it, ‘herstory.’
The excitement is palpable when the purple curtain drops and fog fills the room. Dim silhouettes of the queens can be seen as they list their respective fates: “divorced, beheaded, died… divorced, beheaded, survived.” Then, the lights flash and they sing the opening number “Ex-Wives,”which introduces the general background of each queen and calls for a ‘historemix.’ After the song is over, the queens all agree that they’ve got a score to settle: which of them received the worst treatment from King Henry VIII. They each agree to sing a song making their case, and whoever had the hardest lot will be declared the winner.
First up is Catherine of Aragon, brought to the stage by Chani Maisonet. She tells the story of how she acted as a faithful wife to Henry for 14 years, only to be pushed out for failing to produce a male heir and replaced by the ‘side chick’ Anne Boleyn. That’s when she bursts into the samba-infused power anthem “No Way,” reminiscent of Beyoncé and Shakira. Maisonet perfectly captures Catherine’s commanding presence and self-assured attitude.
Second in line is ‘the one you’ve been waiting for’: Anne Boleyn, portrayed by Gaby Albo. She takes a careless approach to the competition, and misses her cue to start singing a few times. She sings “Don’t Lose Ur Head,” a pop punk track inspired by Lily Allen and Avril Lavigne. She shows no remorse for breaking up Henry’s previous marriage and just wants to have some fun, even if it means losing her head. Albo gets Boleyn’s comedic timing down to a tee.
The third queen is Jane Seymour, the only one Henry truly loved, played by Kelly Denice Taylor. While the other queens ridicule her for having it too easy, Seymour states that Henry’s love was only conditional on the basis that she produced a male heir. Then, she breaks into “Heart of Stone,” a love ballad suggestive of Adele and Sia. Taylor’s sweeping vocals steal the show, and the audience breaks into captivated applause as she’s singing.
The fourth queen to take the throne is Anna of Cleves, shipped over from Germany and portrayed by Danielle Mendoza. Her marriage to Henry is a short-lived one, as he claims she doesn’t look as good as she did in her portrait. But Anna still manages to enjoy all the riches she’s been given, and breaks into the hip-hop song “Get Down,” which takes a cue from the likes of Nicki Minaj and Rihanna. Mendoza personifies Anna with the perfect amount of confidence and snark.
Next to take the stage is Katherine Howard, Henry’s oft-forgotten fifth wife played by Alize Cruz. She was bewed to Henry at the young age of 17 and later beheaded for her sexually promiscuous behavior prior to the marriage. Howard sings “All You Wanna Do,” a dark pop song inspired by Ariana Grande and Britney Spears. It reveals her history of exploitation at the hands of men. By the end of it, she has broken down crying. Cruz manages to masterfully portray the transition from false bravado to weeping vulnerability.
The last queen is Catherine Parr, the sole survivor who is brought to the stage by Tasia Jungbauer. She’s initially reluctant to sing but, upon peer pressure from the other queens, croons the power ballad “I Don’t Need Your Love,” reminiscent of Alicia Keys and Emeli Sande. She laments that the queens are looked at within the context of their marriages to Henry, and declares that she is so much more than that. She calls for ditching the competition and joining forces. Jungbauer perfectly portrays Parr’s level-headed and calm presence.
SIX manages to make history accessible to the modern viewer and create a dazzling spectacle of it. The costume design by Gabriella Slade is a real standout. The show’s a dynamic force, and if you find yourself attending, you’ll be swept away by an experience bigger than yourself.
