Saturday, February 15, 2025
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Six Is Compelling and Thought-Provoking

The North American Tour Boleyn Company of SIX. Photo by Joan Marcus

 

–by Ashley Cox

 

Theatre goers walked by human-sized mounds of ice and snow Tuesday as they rushed out of the cold and into the theater to see the opening night of SIX at the Fabulous Fox in midtown St. Louis. The merchandise stand featured glossy enamel pins of Gabriella Slade’s quickly iconic costumes and a small child wore a homemade replica of Anne Boleyn’s green scalloped skirt and structured sequined top.

Alizé Cruz as Katherine Howard in The North American Tour Boleyn Company of SIX. Photo by Joan Marcus

Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’s Tony award winning musical about the tumultuous lives of Henry VIII’s six wives was conceived while students at Cambridge University. The two wanted to stage a production where the queens were pop stars singing to tell their stories, competing to see who had it worse. Each queen has different iconic pop divas and starlets as the inspiration behind their musical stylings and the set is created through concert lighting. The band, or the ladies-in-waiting, are also on the stage.

Danielle Mendoza as Anna of Cleves in The North American Tour Boleyn Company of SIX. Photo by Joan Marcus

Due to the singing competition structure, the show is quite short… just inching in around ninety minutes with no intermission. You may think this makes it great for children but be advised this show is recommended for those older than 10, and still with discretion. Tudor Britain was not a kind place for women, especially in Henry’s court. In addition to the infamous beheadings, topics such as miscarriages, rape, and religious subjugation are on high display. Alizé Cruz brought an intensity to Katherine Howard singing “All You Wanna Do.” Capturing the fun of being a pretty girl to wailing cry of a woman realizing she is being used as an object.

Chani Maisonet as Catherine of Aragon in The North American Tour Boleyn Company of SIX. Photo by Joan Marcus

The show is a modern retelling and not strictly historical but many of the songs remind that these women had no choice. Taisa Jungbauer as Henry’s final wife Catherine Parr says in her song breaking up her true love Thomas that you “don’t tell the King no.”

Kelly Denice Taylor as Jane Seymour in The North American Tour Boleyn Company of SIX. Photo by Joan Marcus

All SIX women are powerhouse vocalists and are able to compellingly show the growing bond between the queens within the bare set and minimal spoken interactions.

I left the show feeling like I had just watched a short but very excellent piece on feminism and femininity. I highly suggest attending one of the many performances. We are lucky to have the show in town until February 2nd and you can get tickets for the shows HERE. Next up for the Fox’s Broadway series will be Shucked opening February 11th.

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