‘SIX: The Musical’ @ Bass Performance Hall
Photos by Joan Marcus
—Teresa Marrero
Do you know the names of the wives of Henry the Seventh of England, or Henry the Ninth? Probably not. But most of us in the Western world know at least one or two names of the six wives of Henry the Eighth (1491-1547). This observation is made towards the end of SIX The Musical by Henry VIII’s last wife Catherine Parr, played by Adriana Scalice. Henry’s many marriages are notorious—but after all, he was a king in dire need of a male heir. A clear case of the ends justifying the means…or maybe not.
Each of Henry’s SIX wives—divorced, beheaded, died, survived—sing a modernized version of their lives with this capricious king during the show’s 80 minutes of high-energy singing, dancing, and light spectacle (Tom Deiling). Bass Performance Hall (the touring company is presented by Broadway at the Bass/Performing Arts Fort Worth) was full and enthusiastic, as the audience embraced this rock-style musical from Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. (The pair won the Tony for Best Musical in 2022 for SIX, and Moss directs the show with Jamie Armitage.)
Many in the audience knew the songs; most bobbed their heads to the rhythms of the music. Actually, I was reminded of the hyper-enthusiastic audiences of Hamilton.
SIX embraces the historical facts of the lives of Catherine of Aragon, the misplaced Catholic princess from Spain (superbly played by Geriane Pérez); Anne Boleyn, the funny and ditzy beheaded blonde (who loves to read), played by Zan Berube; the humble and loving Jane Seymour (Amina Faye), “the only one Henry really loved”—and who died at childbirth. This “starter” trio is followed by the exuberant Germanic queen-in-her-own right Anna of Cleves, rejected by Henry because she “did not look like her profile picture”—played in an over-the-top sexy performance by Terica Marie.
And then, the final two: Katherine Howard (also beheaded in the end), a sexually experienced young woman who was used by the powerful men in her life. She is played by Aline Mayagoitia, who conveys the character’s sultriness and vulnerability. And then comes Catherine Parr, played by Adriana Scalice. She was in love with another man—but could not say no to the King of England.
At the end of the story, it’s Parr who questions their identities in history—only being remembered as the wives of the polyamorous, self-proclaimed Protestant head of the new Church of England. It was, on the night I attended, an empowering moment—a twist in the story line that immediately brought the audience to its feet in a well-deserved standing ovation.
The voices of each queen articulate the lyrics and storyline clearly, each one easily understood through a wide range of vocal requirements. Terrific. Not a faulty note to be heard!
They are accompanied by an all-woman rock band (with musical supervision by Joe Beighton) that rock in all the right places. The choreography (by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille) is kept lively but simple, with minimalistic moves and stop-action punctuation that never detracts from the delivery of the all-important lyrics.
The scenic design by Emma Bailey is electric and conveys both a general sense of majesty with a contemporary neon twist. And, the costumes…well…you must go to see this modern-day transformation of Reformation English chic into its postmodern, punk-aesthetics, studded, form-fitting descendant. It’s marvelous! With no costume changes during the entire show, the distinctive designs help the audience keep track of each queen.
The show runs without intermission, thus feeling like an extended one-act. However, with sharp transitions between each queen’s storyline, the show has alternating moments of high energy and slower reflections.
One notable aspect is the queens’ breaking of the fourth wall: they speak directly to the Fort Worth audience (mentioning “us” by name). They mix it up with the audience, soliciting applause and feedback and thus keeping the crowd highly engaged. This succeeds in helping us feel we aren’t just watching them, but participating in their life stories.
It’s HERstory (vs. history) in a most personal of ways. SIX is a splendid and dynamic show that is sure to satisfy even the most discerning taste (male or female). There is a sense that “queendom” itself is being celebrated here—the power to be unapologetically you as a woman in the world.
And of course, a brilliant addition to the experience is seeing the foyer of Bass Performance Hall decked out in its Christmas holiday best.
In short, go if you can—the show runs through Sunday (12/3). There are limited tickets remaining; to enter the daily digital lottery for $36 tickets, go to: https://www.basshall.com/tickets--events/lottery-tickets/
Teresa Marrero reviews theater and dance for onstagentx.com. She is also a professor at the University of North Texas.
WHEN: November 28-December 3, 2023
WHERE: Bass Performance Hall, Fort Worth
WEB: basshall.com
