Divorced. Beheaded. Died. Divorced. Beheaded. Survived. It's the age-old rhyme to remember the fates of Henry VIII's wives. But in Six the Musical, the wives' mission is to be remembered for more than just their relationship to the king.
I've never been one for historical musicals (besides Hamilton, of course). But when I discovered the cast recording of Six, I immediately knew that it was going to be one of my favorites. The first song I heard was "Don't Lose Ur Head," and the hilariously modernized lyrics recharacterize Anne Boleyn, separating her from the image that history has perpetuated. Suddenly, she is a relatable icon, admired by all listeners.
Musicals like Six rewrite history, and this feminist remix makes learning something to dance to. I spent my entire summer listening to the cast recording, and I couldn't get it out of my head. Naturally, my family listened along too, and, suddenly, we were all screaming the lyrics in the car. In perfect "me" fashion, I became obsessed.
There's a lot to learn in the show. The histories of the six wives are explored, and learning about them made me sympathize with each one. Katherine Howard's past of sexual abuse is intricately lyricized, and her song, "All You Wanna Do," portrays her struggle and the impact it had on her. Jane Seymour, who died shortly after the birth of her son, sings beautifully in "Heart of Stone," conveying the heartbreak that this loss caused her.
I don't think anything could have prepared me for the way that I felt in the theater when I went to see the show for the first time. I sat three rows from the stage with one of my best friends, and when the lights went down, I couldn't stop smiling.
Suddenly, the queens were standing in a line in front of me, and the spotlight shone on each of them, one at a time, as they proclaimed their fates.
Something I didn't pick up from the soundtrack is that Six presents itself as a competition between the queens; they argue over who had the worst experience with Henry VIII. Although this creates a hilarious undertone that is referenced throughout the show, Six ends on an exceedingly uplifting note, full of feminism, individuality, and recovery.
At the end of the show, they rewrite their stories, sharing how they wish their lives had gone differently, and they band together as a powerful girl-group.
The queens have been through such turmoil and heartbreak, yet they stand strongly on the stage. Through Six, they live to tell their stories.