SIX
Reviewed by Julia Stier
Pantages Theatre
Through June 10
RECOMMENDED
“Divorced, beheaded died; divorced, beheaded, survived.”
What started as a cheeky rhyme to remember the fates of the six wives of Henry VIII is now the opening line of SIX — the hit musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, and directed by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage and currently playing at the Pantages.
Originally conceived as a college project to take to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, SIX has gone on to earn international acclaim. From Edinburgh, the show transferred to the West End and then to Australia before opening on Broadway in 2021 (It was scheduled to open in 2020 but was shut down a mere hours before its opening night due to COVID-19). In 2022, the show secured the Tony Award for Best Score.
Fashioned more like a concert than a traditional musical, SIX tells the stories of each of the wives of Henry VIII as they compete to see who had to deal with the most trauma during their time married to the king. Khaila Wilcoxon as Catherine of Aragon is a firecracker of a Queen with the voice of a pop diva — an absolutely electric combination that starts the show off strong. Storm Lever plays Anne Boleyn as a devil-may-care troublemaker, and Courtney Mack brings sass as the other beheaded Queen, Katherine Howard.
Continuing her reign as Queen, Natalie Paris returns as Jane Seymour (Paris originated the role, and can be heard on the cast album). As the only one who didn’t hate the king, this Queen delivers an emotional ballad. Her song “Heart of Stone,” may be less flashy than the others, but it is a true showstopper.
Olivia Donalson and Gabriela Carrillo round out the group as the two Queens who made it out alive — Anna of Cleves and Catherine Parr, respectively. Donalson is a comedic gem, whose flagrant disregard for the social conventions of her time turns her song into a joyous celebration of liberation. When Carrillo as Parr finally gets her solo, her performance is well worth the wait.
The catchiness of the tunes more than make up for the cheesiness and repetitive aspects of the book (we get it Anne, you got your head cut off!). The show is at its best when it lets its Queens sing and doesn’t try to slide in extra commentary that can, at times, come off as trite.
However, as a fan of the soundtrack myself, I was not disappointed. Costume designer Gabriella Slade adds glitz and flair, with sparkling costumes that catapult these Queens into the 21st century, while lighting designer Tim Deiling expertly captures the pop-rock concert aesthetic.
Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood. Opens Thurs., May 11; Tues.-Sat., 8 pm, Sat., 2 pm, Sun., 1 pm & 6:30 pm; thru June 11. www.hollywoodpantages.com
