Forget everything you think you know about history lessons. SIX, the electrifying musical rocked Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre, throwing open the crown jewels and reimagined Henry VIII’s six wives as pop icons battling for the ultimate title: “Queen.”
This show is intended as a vibrant celebration of female empowerment, historical revisionism with a wink. Each queen – Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr – takes center stage to belt out a song defending her claim to being the best Queen.
The Toronto cast is a powerhouse. Their voices soar, their dance moves are fierce, and their comedic timing is impeccable. Whether it’s the soulful defiance of Catherine of Aragon (“No Way“) or the sassy, self-assured swagger of Anne Boleyn (“Don’t Lose Ur Head“), each queen leaves a distinct and unforgettable mark.
The music is upbeat and loud and sets a party environment right away, cleverly blending pop hooks with historical references. Get ready for Beyoncé-inspired beats, a Nicki Minaj-esque rap battle, and a girl-group anthem that looks to imitate the Spice Girls. The lighting design is equally dazzling, their outfits sparkling and eye catching, transforming the stage into a kaleidoscope of color that perfectly complements the high-octane energy of the show.
With all the Queens performing back to back in a contest like fashion, its hard not to compare between them. In all honesty, the group song “Queens” may be my favourite of the bunch (even if it does start to get a little repetitive the 3rd time around!). Jaz Robinson stood out to me, and it was hard not to enjoy the infectiousness of Julia Pulo‘s turn in the spotlight. Elysia Cruz puts on a killer performance in her song, “All You Wanna Do” as she leads you through her innocence being taken advantage of at the start where she is a giggling teenager to something much darker and disturbing at the end as she realized what all the men really wanted from her making her one of the most tragic characters. In a night of beheadings, it is perhaps the darkest moment of the whole show and and plays that well.
Is SIX perfect? The show clocks in at a brisk 80 minutes, which frankly is kind of perfect for what it is designed to be – if it were longer, it would not have been as enjoyable. Alyne, actually fell asleep during this show – but acknowledges that it just isn’t her jam.
This isn’t looking to tell a historically accurate tale, or even really a ‘story’ at all. The characters are in reality little more than a theme for a quick upbeat musical. So, for a night of pure, unadulterated fun, empowerment, and catchy tunes, SIX reigns supreme but if you’re looking for something with a little more depth, it could probably be skipped.
Recommendation: This show is for anyone who loves pop music, heavy-handed women empowerment, and a good dose of historical reimagining. Be prepared to leave the theatre humming the songs for days to come, though none have made my playlist as time went on.
