PicksInSix Review: SIX Broadway in Chicago
Henry Who? ‘SIX’ Queens Reclaim “Herstory”
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Kaitlyn Linsner
Tuesday’s Royal Opening Night of “SIX the Musical” featured a full house of adoring fans, some fashioning their favorite costume from the show, and many others wearing sparkle and full-blown glitz. It felt like waiting for a pop concert, and then lo and behold, the Queens took the stage and delivered one for the ages.
“SIX,” by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, is a witty and electric history lesson from the perspective of Henry VIII’s former lovers and wives. The entire performance, 80 minutes total, takes place on a tiered concert stage with bright lights and big sound. The Queens wear rad, customized costumes designed by Gabriella Slade and structured to fit their dazzling personalities.
The musical starts with the announcement that this is a competition to determine just who had it the worst with Henry VIII. Each Queen belts out “herstory” by way of a catchy, pop ballad. We, the audience, then essentially cast our votes in this celebrity trauma battle of epic patriarchal proportions. Did the beheaded Anne Boleyn suffer the most? How about the painfully faithful Jane Seymour? Are we voting on overall performance including vocals, dancing and stage presence? How about the best studded and bedazzled boot?
The whole experience is a blast thanks mostly to the talented cast, in historical order, Khaila Wilcoxon (Catherine of Aragon), Storm Lever (Anne Boleyn), Jasmine Forsberg (Jane Seymour), Olivia Donalson (Anna of Cleves), Didi Romero (Katherine Howard) and Gabriela Carrillo (Catherine Parr). Collectively, the Queens move, groove and powerfully harmonize. Individually, each brings such vibrancy to their character and the modern-day touches make them quite relatable to those of us navigating today’s not-so-different romantic landscape.
One after the other, the Queens try to outdo each other with the focal point always being their relationship with Henry VIII. Eventually, though, they realize they exist outside of him as independent women reclaiming their identities, complexities and general humanity. They look to each other and find community not competition. They find strength and power in proclaiming they do not need Henry’s love. The last song is a culmination of all this and for ‘SIX’ minutes they encourage us to see them, hear them and leave Henry behind, even though, the musical celebrates that all the way from the beginning even if our on-stage Queens took a little more time to realize it.
“SIX” deserves credit not only for the great songs but also its approach to storytelling. The show does a pretty good job of bringing levity to these tragic tales and quite literally provides a stage for the Queens to share and in turn validate their experiences. For that, the show has and will continue to draw crowds and resonate with them.
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | KAITLYN LINSNER is a commercial litigation attorney in the Chicagoland area.
PHOTO|Joan Marcus
Broadway in Chicago
presents
SIX the Musical
CIBC Theatre
18 West Monroe
through July 3, 2022
WEBSITE
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